Time Won't Let Me Go
by Meghannna
Summary: Rory's working in Boston, living with a new friend. It's three years after the seventh season ended and someone from her past has shown up... yet again.
1. Between the Bars

**AN: So Here it is, the first chapter of the new story. Who's excited?! I am, that's for sure! It'd be awesome if you guys could give me some feedback. I know it's a little rough, I haven't written much in the past few years. I just hope you enjoy it and reviews are always appreciated. Also, I'm really sorry for the kind of cliched ending. I can't promise anything, but it'll get better as the it goes on. Anyways, enjoy!!  
**

She was determined to watch the president's speech and focus all of her attention on it. Even though she was currently sitting with her back against a bar, and she couldn't really hear the television, it was the only thing she could do. The bartender, also her closest friend in Boston, Alex, was busy refilling drinks and bowls of bar nuts. Therefore, he had no time to talk to Rory and keep her entertained. The only thing he could do for her at the moment was turn up the TV and make sure the closed captioning was on for good measure.

Rory knew that she wasn't responsible for the way the presidential election played out, but that never stopped the feeling of pure joy and pride she felt when he was on a TV screen. She followed his campaign trail from beginning to end and never once was bored. She was so happy; she never knew how amazing it could be writing a political column. After the campaigning was finished she already had a job lined up for her at the Boston Globe covering more politics. She covered nationwide, statewide, and even citywide. It wasn't what she had imagined when she was in high school, but it was exactly what she wanted at this phase in her life.

It was really good for her to be out of Stars Hollow and on her own. Sure, the Hollow was home and she missed it everyday, but she really felt like a grownup for once. She had an apartment that she shared with Alex right off of Cambridge Street. It was quaint, but it was perfect. Her life was really falling together and it was more than she could have ever asked for. Even though Rory wasn't in Stars Hollow as much as she had been in the past, her mother was still her best friend and Lane was forever second in line for said title.

Her mom and Lane weren't the only ones that Rory missed, though. She really missed Luke and her grandparents. Paris was doing her residency at Mass General Hospital, so they were still pretty close. She even missed Logan, or the relationship that they once had. She said no to his proposal for a reason, after all. They lost touch about halfway through the campaign. He was in California still working for his father at that point. She had gotten over him and they had both moved on in the past three years. He was not something she regretted and neither was saying no to his proposal.

As President Obama made his way to the podium, the Parker Bar started emptying out a bit. Rory reveled in the quieter atmosphere and took advantage of the moment to throw a smile over her shoulder, thanking Alex for letting her sit in with him at work for the second night in a row. He was wiping down the bar where one of his departing patrons had so gracefully spilled half a Jack and Coke, but he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and offered his own smile. After his brief moment with Rory he had to turn and help an eager customer donning a full business suit and overcoat. If you're a traveling businessman in Boston, chances are you're staying at the Parker House hotel and stopping in the bar to be served by Alex or one of his bubbly co-workers.

Rory spent a lot of time at the bar with Alex. She wasn't a big drinker, but she enjoyed an after work cocktail and the opportunity to walk home with Alex after his shift. Right now, however, the bar's television was closer than her apartments and she needed to watch the speech for work purposes and she was planning on leaving as soon as Obama said thank you and walked off the stage.

"There happens to be a fine looking man standing in the doorway and he seems very interested in a certain blue-eyed political columnist," Alex whispered behind Rory as he moved to the other side of the bar carrying three bowls of bar nuts. Rory smiled briefly and looked towards the doorway out of pure curiosity. However, just after one crowd had left another was coming in and her view was completely blocked. She wasn't interested enough to give it another thought. Alex was always thinking a "fine looking man" was looking at her. However, he was blind to all of the fine looking men and even women looking at him wherever they went.

Alex's last boyfriend had killed his ego and therefore Alex had given up on men and dating for the time being. Since Rory was in a similar situation, after Jeremy had broken up with her, she and Alex used this to the advantage of their friendship. It might seem unhealthy to some people, but they also used the time to focus on other things. Rory had her job at the Globe. Alex was working hard to become something more than a Boston bartender.

No one could deny that Rory and Alex complimented each other well. She was the optimistic, political nut. He was the artsy, gay man. Lorelai was just as in love with Alex, and how great of a friend he has been to Rory, as Rory was. She loved getting away from the Dragonfly and Stars Hollow to spend time with them in their already cramped apartment. Lorelai was finally comfortable with Rory being out of the Crap Shack because she knew that she was happy. She knew she was happy with her job and in Boston. The only thing that Lorelai, and even Rory, knew could make her life a bit better was a boyfriend.

Rory's last two boyfriends, after Logan, were short lived and nothing to brag about. On the campaign trail, she was dating Hugh, a fellow reporter. Their relationship began four months before Rory was set to start work at the Globe and it ended three weeks before she sat down at her desk. He was threatened by her strength and success; he had never dated a woman that was on the same level as him. He usually liked them young and naïve. After Hugh and living in Boston for about five months, she met Jeremy. He was an up and coming lawyer; a classic work-a-holic. Rory was too, so that didn't bother her so much. He, however, was uncomfortable with her relationship with Alex and her mother and anyone that she was closer with than she was with him. These relationships that Jeremy was so uncomfortable with were relationships Rory would never give up, especially after dating him for only a few months. Yes, the rut was great for her work life and her life with her friends, but she was lonely.

"Honestly, Sweetie, if he doesn't come over to talk to you, he's at least worth a second glance," Alex told Rory, standing behind her. She turned to look at him and rolled her eyes in the process.

"I don't know who you're talking about. He wasn't at the door when you told me to look for him," Rory explained and drank the last of her martini. "I'm curious, though. Where is this young man that seems to fancy me?" She was smiling now as Alex gave her a glass of Coke and he nodded towards a table across the room from them.

"He's sitting with another guy, so maybe he's just staring at me. Like I said, though, he's definitely worth a look." Rory's eyes rolled for the second time and she turned her back to Alex, smiling at his insistence. She searched the far wall where Alex had indicated. She started at the beginning and moved over every single face, maybe a little nervous to see who was staring at her. She kept going down the line of the wall until her eyes finally met with the fine looking man. He was definitely good looking in that familiar, I've kissed those lips kind of way.

She sighed, and it turned into a genuine smile. A nervous smile, but it was still real. It was met by a smirk and she knew that, no matter how easy it was to do, she couldn't just sit there and stare at him across the room. It may have been something he had mastered when they were young, but she had to say hello. "We're going to have to talk about this later," she told Alex before she walked over to the table. Alex's eyes widened and he nodded enthusiastically.

She silently prepared herself for the short journey to his table. By the time she reached him, his friend was ducking away and he stood to meet her halfway. His eyes were guarded, hers were dancing. She wanted to hug him, it had been awhile, but she knew it was best not to. Their last encounter did not end well and it was her fault. She wanted this to go well. She wanted them to be civil.

"Hi! How are you?" She asked once they were a foot or so apart. She was ringing her hands back and forth behind her back, out of nervousness. His hands were stuffed deep into his pockets, but he was standing up straighter than he ever did when he was seventeen.

"Hi, Rory. I'm doing really well. How are you?" His voice was quiet, and rugged. It made Rory smile again. Some things never change.

"I'm also doing really well," she answered and he nodded solemnly. He looked around them, taking in the scene where he never really imagined Rory to be living in. He was smiling when his eyes met hers and she finally let herself be happy to see him. "God, Jess. It's so good to see you."


	2. Shine

**AN: Okay, here's the next chapter. It's longer. I like how it turned out. I hope you guys enjoy it as well. Don't for get to review :)**

**PS: The chapter titles are songs. They may or may not have anything to do with the story, mainly there just songs that I listen to while I write and therefore they remind me of the story. The first one was Between the Bars by Elliott Smith. This one is Shine by Anna Nalick. They're both worth a listen. As is Time Won't Let Me Go by The Bravery  
**

They were sitting down at the table he and his friend had been sitting moments earlier. Rory wasn't blind to Alex's constant stares from across the room and she was starting to get self-conscious thinking that Jess would notice. Once Rory had expressed her joy in seeing him, he had smiled again and agreed hastily. When Rory let out a nervous breath, he guided her to the table.

"What brings you to Boston, anyway?" Rory asked as soon as they were sitting.

"Publicity for my second novel. I did a book signing in Newport, Rhode Island yesterday; this was my next stop," Jess explained this, his eyes shining with pride. "_The Subsect_ did pretty well in Boston, so I'm doing another book signing tomorrow. Crazy, right?"

"No. Not crazy. That's amazing, Jess," Rory gushed. "I didn't even know that you wrote a second book."

"It doesn't officially come out until next Tuesday," he explained. "I feel like I put a lot more thought into this one, so hopefully it does a little better."

"Oh, I'm sure it will. I can't believe I know a published author. It's amazing."

"You're a published newspaper columnist," Jess countered. He turned his attention to the TV that Rory was supposed to be watching, where President Obama was still talking. "You know, Luke's convinced that you're the only reason he's standing up there, addressing the whole country."

"I'm not even a little bit responsible. It's all him."

"Maybe." They were both watching the TV, keeping up with the words at the bottom of the screen. Their nerves were going crazy. Rory's hands were still wringing, now underneath the table. She would have been biting her lip, but she was trying to appear as though Jess had no effect on her nerves. Jess was making sure he didn't say something that would make the situation more uncomfortable, but he was also trying to be as Jess-like as possible in the process.

Jess took his eyes off of the television screen and turned to look at Rory. Her eyes were following every word on the screen. He almost wanted to smile at how satisfied it was making her. His eyes continued roaming around the room and they landed on Alex's. Jess wanted to turn away, but it was almost like Alex was challenging him. Finally, though, Alex had to turn away to pour a drink. "Is that guy at the bar your boyfriend or something?" Jess asked, with a humorless chuckle when he felt comfortable enough to look away and back at Rory.

"Who? The bartender?" She asked. He nodded. "No. That's Alex. He's one of my best friends and my roommate. Was he staring?" He nodded again, now slightly amused. "He just doesn't know who you are. He's gay, though. Not my boyfriend. He likes to believe he knows everyone I know. He doesn't. He's a great guy, though. He's just slightly…" she thought for a second to find the perfect word. "I don't know, Alex."

She let out a breath, realizing that she had just gone on a rant defending Alex, even though Jess said nothing worth defending. Her signature rant was met by one of his signature smirks, and she smiled despite herself. "Sorry," she was now giggling.

"No, it's… It's fine." They were both silent now. They were watching each other, waiting for the other to talk again, neither wanting to say something wrong. Since when did being with each other turn into such a chore? Jess decided to speak first. "So, I went to see Luke a few months ago."

"My mom told me. She said that you stayed at the diner for a couple of days." Jess nodded. "Did you know that they got married?"

"I didn't until I showed up at your house. My mom didn't even tell me. What the hell is that about?"

"I can't believe Luke didn't tell you. I mean the wedding wasn't a big deal. They wanted to keep it small, you know, after everything that they had been through. I just, wow, I can't believe he didn't tell you."

"They seemed happy, though. Good for them," Jess relented. "Lorelai and I actually got along. I'm sure that Luke had something to do with it, but it was refreshing."

"I'm glad. You're a grownup; she should treat you like one. You're not seventeen anymore. Wow, we're old…"

"I'm older than you are. You still have, what, a month before you turn twenty-six?"

"That's right! You're older than me. Okay, I don't feel that old. Thank you," Rory was beaming, as if she had just won a contest. He smiled again. He had forgotten how easy it was for her to make him smile. She had forgotten how good it felt to be the one that made him smile.

She saw Alex walking towards them and her stomach dropped. She was now completely nervous of what he might say to Jess. Once she introduced the two of them, Alex would know exactly who she had been talking to for the past twenty minutes. Obviously, Alex knew who he was; he knew who everybody was. Alex had absolutely no shame with putting people in awkward positions, especially if he knew that Jess had hurt Rory in the past.

"Sweetie, the drunken slob called. She had an emergency in New York, supposedly. She's going to be an hour or so late. I have to cover for her. You should head home without me," Alex told her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You know, when you're done here."

"Oh, okay. Um, Alex, this is my old friend, Jess," Rory informed him and hopefully she was the only one that noticed his eyes widen slightly.

"Hello, Jess. I'm a new friend, Alex," he offered Jess his hand, which Jess shook happily. "It's very nice to meet you. I do apologize for the staring contest earlier; I'm just very protective of our Rory."

"It's nice to meet you, too. And no worries, people have been trying to protect Rory from me for years. I'm used to it," Jess was being surprisingly nice and this last statement made Rory's cheeks flame red and she shook her head in disbelief. Alex appreciated the statement, and showed it with a smile. Jess smirked and snuck a peek at Rory's embarrassed face.

"Well, I should head back over there before the boss thinks I'm trying to pick up your friend on the job. Say goodbye before you leave?" Alex asked Rory.

"Of course." Alex patted her shoulder one last time and walked back to the bar. "I wouldn't be surprised if he were trying to pick you up; we have a very similar type when it comes to men," Rory explained.

"Is that so?" Jess asked, amusement tracing his voice. Rory looked at him, clearly not aware of what he found amusing. He was smirking, which automatically made her nervous. Then she realized that she had basically just admitted she found him attractive, that he was, in fact, her type. She didn't even know what to say to take it back without making herself more vulnerable.

"I should get home. I've got to feed that fish," she said, stumbling out of her chair. "It was good to see you."

"I'll walk you." It was a statement that he assumed she would reject, but he didn't give her a chance. "I'll wait here while you go say bye to Alex." She just nodded and turned to the bar.

"I'm going home. Jess is walking me. Wish me luck," Rory announced as she stood in front of Alex.

"Good luck, Princess. And, you know, I could stall; leave you guys some time alone in the apartment."

"That won't be necessary, thank you. I'll see you at home," she leaned across the bar and kissed him on the cheek before grabbing her jacket off of the stool she had left it on. She shrugged it on and smiled at Alex.

She met Jess where she had left him standing. His denim jacket was already on, unbuttoned. Her leather jacket, passed down from Lorelai, was also left opened. "Nice jacket," he remarked once she had reached him.  
"I was sick of going to work dressed so conservatively. I thought this would liven up my outfit," she explained and gestured to what she was wearing; black dress pants and an off-white dress shirt, tucked in.

"I like it. It works."

"You don't have to do this, you know. I don't live that far away," she said, changing the subject.

"I want to, Rory. We haven't seen each other in awhile and we didn't get to talk much tonight," Jess explained. "I won't go if you don't want me to."

"Let's get walking, Mariano."

"As you wish."

They walked next to each other on the sidewalk. The wind was blowing, but it was still only September and the air wasn't cold; it was refreshing. Jess had to stop himself from putting his arm around her waist or shoulders. Rory had to stop herself from moving closer to him, especially since they were as close as possible without actually touching each other. Again, it was a chore.

"Did you know that's the ugliest building in the world?" Rory asked as they passed City Hall. Jess turned to look across the street where the building stood.

"I can see why. It looks like it was built upside down," he scoffed, watching her nod.

"I think that makes it unique, not ugly," Rory said defensively. "I mean, I guess, just because it's unique doesn't mean it's not ugly. There could be uglier; just not according to Yahoo."

"I'm glad you've finally joined the Yahoo craze," Jess said with a smirk, slightly nudging her arm with his elbow.

"You're such a dork." They both laughed and fell into another silence. Their witty banter beforehand made this silence comfortable, though, and the chore was no more.

"I thought you said you didn't live that far away from the hotel," Jess remarked after a few minutes. "We've walked at least a mile and a half."

"It's not far," she explained. "God, you grew up in New York City. Didn't you walk your way around there? I _know_ you walked around Stars Hollow."

"I'm not complaining, I'm just saying that you lied is all."

"I didn't lie. You're just a baby."

"That's two insults in one walk. You sure have gotten meaner, Gilmore." She just shook her head and smiled. It was getting easier being with each other. It was getting increasingly harder not to reach out and touch the other, though.

"It's right here," Rory pointed down a street to her left. Jess nodded and turned down the street with her. They walked about halfway down the street before Rory stopped on the edge of the sidewalk, getting ready to cross the street. It caught Jess off guard for a second, but he recovered and landed on the left side of her body instead of her right.

They watched as a car drove past them and stepped off the sidewalk simultaneously. Rory was reaching into her pocket for her keys; Jess was watching the ground before them. He noticed a patch of mud that Rory was very capable of stepping in, therefore ruining her black pumps. He placed his hand on the small of her back and navigated her around it, stepping on to the sidewalk opposite the one they had just stepped off of. He left his hand on her back until she turned to face him standing in front of a bright red door. His hand traveled to the front of her leather jacket, and he held on to the bottom with his right hand.

Rory noted this action. This was something he did when they were together. It was his way of holding onto her without seeming possessive, just caring. If they had been together, though, her left arm would be resting on top of his right, and her hand would be clutching the fabric of his jacket, holding him to her; the fingers on her right hand would be holding onto his belt loops that were resting on his left hip; he might be leaning toward her or resting his forehead against hers; they probably would have been kissing in a matter of second. They weren't together, though. And they definitely weren't seventeen anymore. Instead, she left both of her arms at her side, with a great deal of self-discipline.

"Thank you. For walking with me, I mean," Rory said, her left hand was clutching her keys tightly. She didn't want to go inside. She didn't want Jess to have this effect over her. She didn't know what she wanted

"It was very scenic. I'm glad I did," Jess replied, after a nod. He couldn't let go of her coat. He couldn't let her go inside and leave him on the street just yet. He didn't know what to say that would keep her with him there just a few minutes longer, but he could also tell that she wasn't going to be walking out of his reach while he still held onto her. "You should come tomorrow. Come to the book signing."

"Of course, I'll come!" Rory was instantly brighter. "Where is it? What time?"

He chuckled at her eagerness, and clutched her jacket tighter; she startled a little, stepping closer. "It's at the Borders in Downtown Crossing, kind of behind the Parker House. It's at noon, but I'll be there until two probably. You can stop by whenever."

"I'll be there at eleven-thirty."

"I don't think anyone's going to be starting a riot to get my autograph. There probably won't even be a line."

"You're far too modest, Jess. Your first book was… amazing. I was speechless after I read it. Do you have any idea how many times I've read it? I own two copies just incase I lose one or someone borrows it and loses it. I bet your second book is ten times better than _The Subsect_. I'm not just saying this, either. I mean it. Paris even loved your book. _Paris_, Jess. Your writing is too good to be overlooked. If the people of Boston know what's good for them, they'd be lining up outside of Borders right now."

"I don't even know how to respond to that."

"Just say thank you. And mean it when you say it, because you know I'm right."

"Thank you, Rory."

"You're very welcome." She knew it was against her better judgment, but that didn't stop her. Her right hand reached for his long forgotten belt loops, bringing herself just a step closer to him, and they both relaxed as their eyes watched the slight movement. She was biting her lip now as their eyes met. He knew what it meant when Rory Gilmore bit her lip. It could only mean two things; if she were biting the inside of her lip, like now, she was nervous. If she were biting the corner of her lip, slight tooth showing, she was concentrating on something.

"Who was with you tonight? Before I came over," Rory asked, confusing Jess.

"That was, uh, Matt. He's one of my roommates and I work with him. He edited _Last Call_," he answered her.

"That's the new book? _Last Call?_" Jess nodded a yes and she nodded along with him, while considering her next move. "I better get an extra long inscription. I better have people complaining behind me because it takes you so long to write in my book."

He bent his head down and chuckled, looking at her through his eyelashes. "I'll do my best. If you don't like the book, though, don't blame me. I warned you."

"I'll love it, Jess. There's no way I can't." The statement was so true that she wanted to shove it down his throat and make sure he really digested it. She would love the book, she'd love the story, she'd love the cover art, and she'd love everything about it.

She was nervous. She felt like she was reliving 'Rory and Jess: The Early Years' and she was trying hard not think about it. Jess's head was still bent slightly, avoiding long stretches of eye contact. This reassured Rory; it meant that he, too, was nervous.

His head was reeling. She shouldn't have this effect on him. She screwed with him the last time they saw each other, in Philadelphia. He should be holding a grudge, he should have been at least able to let go of her damn jacket. He couldn't, though, and it scared the crap out of him how much he wanted to pull her closer to him. It scared him even more when he realized that he didn't need to pull her closer because she was doing it herself.

She rested her cheek against his and they both breathed in each other's scent. She smelled the same; subtle floral, coffee, simple, mostly real. He smelled like a man; no cologne, he smells like the bar, he doesn't smell like cigarettes. Rory smiles at this realization and lets out a slight breath onto his neck. She knows this is not the way it should be happening. She was almost twenty-six, and yet she felt seventeen and she didn't him to walk away from her. She had to walk away first.

So, she kissed the corner of his jaw and whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed his jaw again before letting go of his pants. He let go of her jacket and nodded.

He didn't say anything. He watched her walk up the three steps until she opened the bright red door. He watched through a small window next to the door as she climbed the stairs to the apartment door. He noticed that she hesitated before opening up the last door between them. When he saw her door close he finally turned and walked back to the hotel, hands deep in his pockets.

Rory checked her watch once she was inside. She had missed the entire speech that she was supposed to work. Thankfully she was happy she had missed. Thank god for Tivo.


	3. Til You Feel Something

**AN: Wow, this is kind of a long one. For me, anyways. Um, I hope you enjoy it. I hope you review it. I need you guys to make up my mind for me. I'm not sure how much I like it. I spent a lot of time thinking about it, so I hope it's good for you. The title of this chapter is Til You Feel Something and it's a song by Dropping Daylight. Pretty much, by writing this story and naming these chapters, I'm giving you guys a pretty kickass playlist. Hopefully, you're reading these ANs and listening to the songs.**

**Read, review, and ENJOY  
**

"Alex, what is this?" Rory was looking at his newest painting that was still sitting on the easel in his bedroom. He walked in from the living room and looked at the painting with a critical eye before answering.

"I found the photo last week in a Hemingway book that was on the bookshelf," he answered. "I didn't know who it was until yesterday. I was going to show you when I finished it." The painting was of two people standing on a bridge holding each other; much like Jess and Rory had been holding each other the night before. She knew right away that is was, in fact, her and Jess. The original photograph was taped to the wall next to the painting.

"It's gorgeous," she breathed out. Alex walked up next to her and put his arm around her waist.

"The photo was what spoke to me. It literally fell into my lap and my creative side took over. Who took it?"

"Lane. I was late meeting her. I had promised that I would go with her while she took pictures for her photography class," Rory started to explain. She had not taken her eyes off of the painting. "She knew I was with Jess and she knew where we would be. He was practically begging me to stay with him. He had just kissed me, I think. Anyway, she snuck up on us and took the picture. Jess was so embarrassed. It wasn't long before we broke up. She gave it to me when I left for Yale, so I stuffed it in one of his books. I forgot about it."

"Why can't you just admit that he makes you crazy in all of the right ways and that last night was a good thing? Maybe that you love him."

"He's my ex-boyfriend, Alex. It's not that easy. And I do not love him. He's just Jess, you know? We have more history than this damn city."

"You love him and he loves you. Deal with it."

"I can't deal with something that doesn't exist, just like we can't talk about this anymore. We have to go to the book signing. I promised him I'd be there and you promised me you'd go with me. So, can we go?" Rory had finally looked away from the painting and the picture. "And can you please not make it awkward and say nothing about non-existent feelings of love when we get there? I made it awkward enough last night."

"I won't say anything. But I promise you, he loved every minute of it. I know that you did, too," Alex told her. She left him standing in his room while she pulled on her jacket.

"A, there's no way for you to know that. And B, we need to go. I promised him that I'd be there ten minutes ago," Rory was waiting, her forehead resting against the door.

"You sure are excited about this," Alex said when he entered the living room, putting on his sweatshirt. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes at him before walking out into the hallway.

The two friends walked on to the book store. Alex kept bringing up Rory and Jess's feelings for each other. After all, he promised that he wouldn't say anything while they were in the presence of Jess. Rory didn't want to talk about it, so she didn't. Every time that Alex brought it up she would either change the subject or ignore him completely. By the time they had reached the bookstore, she was ignoring him completely.

Jess was wrong. There was a line. There was a line out the door; barely out the door, but still. Rory was beaming with pride. Alex was bored. They could see Jess inside talking to his readers and he looked guarded.

"He doesn't seem to be enjoying this very much," Alex commented.

"He doesn't like people doting on him. He loves what he does, you can tell, he's just really shy. In a tough guy kind of way, though," Rory explained. Alex understood what she was saying, but the way she said it made him roll his eyes.

"Sweetie, what happened with you two last night?"

"I told you, it was nothing. We walked, we talked. I may have sniffed his neck and kissed him on the cheek. Nothing groundbreaking, though."

"Last night you were flipping out because you kissed him and it turns out you only kissed him on the cheek?"

"It was more like his jaw. Which may not seem like a big difference, but it's much more intimate than the cheek. That's why I was flipping out; I shouldn't have done it if I don't have feelings for him like that. I don't want to give him the wrong message and I was horrible to him the last time that we saw each other."

"Perhaps you do have feelings for him and that's why you were flipping out. I'm just saying."

"Enough, Alex. I can't have feelings for him. He's… my cousin," Rory thought this would make Alex stop. After all, it was sort of the truth.

"Oh, nonsense. Step cousins don't even really exist. He's April's cousin. He's your ex-boyfriend slash old friend. He is not your cousin, so don't try to pull that one on me," Alex's retort was more true.

Rory had never once thought of Jess as her cousin. Doula, yes; but definitely not Jess. Rory never really thought of Jess anymore. Luke brought him up every once in a while with Liz or April, but that was the extent of thinking about him; only in passing. It was strange how it was all coming back to her in a span of two days; Jess's visit to Boston and her discovery of Alex's latest piece of work. No matter how many times she had told Alex that there were no feelings on her part, she knew that seeing Jess always brought back her feelings for him.

"Please, Alex. No more talking about this, okay? I love you and I don't want to have to punch you in the face," Rory was pleading now.

"I'll drop it for now, but once you get over the initial shock I'm going to bring it up again," Alex promised. Rory didn't even know how to respond, so she just hung her head and moved forward with the rest of the line.

A few minutes later and a few steps ahead, almost reaching the door, Rory finally spoke to Alex again. "That picture in your room of Jess and I, you know how we're standing with each other?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"We were standing like that before I kissed his jaw, last night. Two people who don't have feelings for each other don't stand like they are a couple in love. I… I don't know why I felt compelled to stand there with him like that. I don't know why I felt this ridiculous urge to kiss his jaw and smell his neck. I cannot have feelings for him," she whispered harshly. She was kicking her toe into the cement and watching as Jess signed another book with a forced smile.

"Rory, sweetie, you _can_ have feelings for him," Alex said as he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him. "You need to live your life. You are a very successful young lady and you have everything in the world that you could possibly want. You don't put yourself into relationships. Your last two relationships were crap and you're afraid to feel like you could love someone."

"Alex, he's Jess. Do you understand that? Like, our history is long and full of pain. We are two people that are awesome at hurting each other. I feel like that's the only thing we've ever had in common. He hurt me, I hurt him. I don't want to hurt him. I don't want him to hurt me. I can't fall for him."

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, you know damn well that you and Jess have a lot in common. Yes, you've both been hurt by the other person. Yes, it sucks to relive it. If you feel like you should make a move, though, then you should. Forget about the past. It can't be changed. You and Jess could have a real future together and you're being too careful," Alex wasn't whispering. Alex was letting everyone around them know that Rory may very well be in love with Jess.

"Shut it, Alex. There are not many people between him and us."

"Sorry." They stood in line. Before them, there weren't many people. Behind them, there were. She was nervous to face him. She was in rambling mode, so she had no idea what kind of nonsense would spew out of her mouth once she reached him.

"I can't do this, Alex," she was whispering again. Her eyes were sad and scared.

"Rory, you need to. We're almost up and he's already attempted eye contact multiple times. You must conquer this," Alex was now whispering.

"I must _conquer_ this? Who says that?" Rory giggled at his choice of words.

"It made you laugh and calmed you down. I know what I'm doing." Alex smiled at her and she couldn't resist returning the favor. "Three more people, then we're up."

"Yes, that seems accurate. We can do this. I can do this. I'm fine. He's just Jess. I can do this. I can, I can." By the end of her rant, Jess had finished signing a copy of his book and the line was down to two. It seemed like every step Rory took closer to him, his smile was becoming less forced and so real he couldn't hold it in. Matthew was standing behind him and he was definitely bored which was probably making Jess's job a little easier. It was like time was speeding up because before she knew it, she was standing in front of him, smiling.

"I'm glad you came," Jess said, looking up at her smiling,

"Of course I came. It's a Friday afternoon; where else would I be, work?" She asked, joking. Obviously she called out of work for a chance to be a part of this.

"Why would anyone want to be at work right now when you can stand in line with a bunch of crazy people with horrible taste in literature?" He was self-deprecating. Normally she would find it annoying, but she knew how nervous he was for his books to do well, so she just let it slide. For the first time, he looked to the left of Rory. "Hi Alex, it's nice to see you again."

"You too. You're first book was great, so I decided to join Rory on her quest for your second one," Alex replied.

"I hope you like it," Jess said. He signed a book and handed it to Alex. "You too," he said to Rory, picking one up from underneath the table. "I already left you the longest inscription once Matthew noticed the line growing."

"Thank you, Jess. I really can't wait to read this. The inscription and the book," Rory took the book gratefully and with a smile. "We should go, let you get back to your public."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks for stopping by. I probably won't see you before I leave, so it was really nice seeing you," Jess told her, completely serious.

"I'm really glad that I ran into you last night," she replied.

"Bye, Rory."

"Bye, Jess." There was nothing else to be said, so he nodded and Rory and Alex stepped away from the table and out of the store.

"You did the right thing by going today and for sticking it out. I know it was hard," Alex said.

"It wasn't so bad. He was behind a table, you know. No physical contact makes the situation ten times easier," Rory explained, laughing a little towards the end.

"Listen, I need to stop by work for a little while. I'll meet you at home, though. Go, read that inscription before I get home and do it myself," Alex announced once they reached the hotel.

"Okay. I'll see you at home," Rory kissed his cheek before they parted ways. She walked home, fingering the book. She noticed that it was longer than _The Subsect_ and it was taking a lot for her not to open the book. She didn't want to open it until she was in the comfort of her own home. For some reason, she thought that it would be easier then, when she was alone without the prying eyes of Cambridge Street.

When Rory reached her building, she pounded through the door and into her apartment, sitting on the couch with her legs folded beneath her. She decided, though, that she would need a cup of coffee while reading this. After she brewed a cup, she took her seat on the couch again. After a few breaths, she opened the book and saw his slanted handwriting filling the entire first page. Then, she decided, she needed to read it. Even if it didn't say much, it meant a lot more than that.

_Rory,_

_I don't really know what I should say to you in this, but I'm going to try. I'm really glad that we ran into each other. We don't see each other at all and after spending even a little bit of time with you, despite everything that's happened, I realize how much I miss you. Rory Gilmore, because of you I have done everything in my power to change and to be a better person. Two novels and zero successful relationships later, I truly believe that I can be a good person. I am not that seventeen year-old boy who was hated by everyone, except for you. I am a twenty-six year-old man with a past and I have grown from that past. I owe it all to you. Without your constant presence in my life, even if you aren't there physically, I would never have gotten to where I am today. Two people in this world have showed me the two different ways to love someone. You, Rory Gilmore, were my first love. Luke is like a father to me and I know that he has had a similar role in your life. We are two very lucky people to have him in our lives. _

_Lastly, I want to do something that I have never done for you. I want to apologize for the times that I let you down. I was young and I was the epitome of stupid. You changed my life the second I met you. You're a force, Gilmore; don't let anyone take that away from you._

_-Jess_

It wasn't his best writing. In fact, due to the crunched time and his nerves, it was some of his worst. It meant a lot to Rory, though. She had never gotten an apology from him, and secretly she had always wished for one. Sure, it was such a long time ago and they had both grown up, but he had really broken her heart. He was the first boy to ever break her heart and she had never forgotten it. Rory knew that he deserved an apology too. After reading the inscription that he had written for her, she was determined to make sure he got one.

Rory had to wait around until the book signing was over, at least. She couldn't just storm in there and apologize in front of a bunch of strangers. That definitely was not an option. So, she started the book and got lost in it almost immediately. In fact, when Alex walked into the living room, and saw her sitting there, she was completely oblivious to his sudden appearance. This was a shame, because the look on his face was priceless. No one had ever looked so triumphant in the history of the world. He had to sit next to her on the couch, and swing his legs onto her lap for her to notice his existence.

"What's up, Alex?" She asked, placing the book on her lap.

"I have a surprise for you and you better appreciate it, because I had to whore myself out to get it," he announced, smiling. He was waving a folded piece of paper in front of her face – her very confused slash amused face.

"I'm scared. What did you do?"

"I have a date with that guy who works at the front desk. You know, the one that has been asking me out for a year now."

"Why did you finally agree?" Rory asked. She was sitting up straighter now, really listening to whatever Alex had to say.

"Baby girl, in my hand I hold a very important number to a very important room. Now, you don't have to use it, but I would greatly appreciate it. I now have to go on a date with this man and I want it to be worth something."

"Just give me the paper, Alex. And if it's for whom I think it's for, I'll use it. I need to talk to him," Rory said, reaching for the paper. Alex handed it over with a smile and when she unfolded it and saw the name at the top, she too smiled. "Thank you."

"Anything for you. Can I read the inscription now?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, take it. I need to go," she handed him the book and kissed him on the forehead. Once she had thrown on her jacket, she was out the door. She practically ran to the hotel. She wasn't even sure why. He had probably just gotten out of the signing and she had no idea how she would apologize. She just knew that she had to do it and that it meant a lot to her to get there and get it done.

The paper in her hand was crumpled by the time she reached the elevator at the hotel. She didn't even need to psych herself up to press the button. She was determined, remember? It took a few minutes and she was just staring at the numbers on the paper until it reached the lobby. Room 521, fifth floor; the elevator ride shouldn't take very long. And when it finally did reach the lobby, she practically jumped in. She made sure that the doors closed to leave her alone in there, and she hoped that it didn't stop on any other floors between the first and the fifth. She needed to tackle this completely alone and she didn't want to waste any time. No one, she was alone and she was happy to be alone.

The fifth floor was looming ahead of her and she finally slowed down as she walked to his door. She stuffed the paper into her back pocket. She hoped that Matthew wasn't the one to answer, because that may have killed her buzz. She knocked and she knew that he'd check the peep hole and she was finally nervous about facing him and having to apologize. The door opened too slowly, it was definitely Jess.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe, smirking.

"I have to get something off my chest. And I have a really nosy roommate who has connections in this hotel," she explained, stepping closer to him. He just nodded and gestured for her to continue. "Thank you, for the inscription. I loved it; it was real and raw, and it meant more than you could ever imagine."

"I had to say it. After everything, I _had_ to do it," Jess whispered and averted his eyes. Rory took another step closer to catch his attention.

"I'm so sorry, Jess," she started, and this definitely caught his attention and caused him to finally look at her. She spoke up again, not giving him a chance to say anything. "I was a huge jerk to you in Philadelphia. It was a horrible thing to do and I never wanted to hurt you. I wasn't thinking of your feelings when I did it and I'm sorry. I went to see you because I wanted to see your life and your home and who you had become. You being so perfect and this new Jess, but still so much like the Jess I had loved, made me mad at him. It made me want to hurt him and I couldn't and I ended up hurting you. And you were so right, you didn't deserve it."

It was his turn to step toward her, letting the door close behind him. "Rory, it's okay. You don't have to do this," he said, putting a hand up to stop her from continuing. She surprised him, and grabbed it with her own, intertwining their fingers.

"I did, though. You apologized to me and it meant _so_ much. I couldn't let you leave the city without saying sorry myself."

"Thank you, then. It does mean a lot to me. I'm not going to lie to you and say that it didn't kill me, but I hurt you first. I wasn't holding a grudge," he was practically whispering.

"Neither was I," she was whispering as well. He followed her lead and held onto her other hand. "Jess, what are we doing?" He didn't answer; he just pulled her towards him and rested his forehead against hers. She looked like she was about to cry. "Jess…."

"I don't know what we're doing, Rory. But I do know that last night killed me, okay? I have never wanted to kiss you more than I did last night, but I stopped myself and I don't want to stop myself anymore."

"Then don't," she whispered. He nodded before crashing his lips to hers. She kissed him back immediately. She let go of his hands and one of hers plunged into his dark locks while the other went around his waist. He pulled her closer as well, by placing both of his arms around her back. He pulled away from the kiss and looked into her eyes for any kind of sign. They were still holding onto each other, though.

She leaned in once more and kissed him softly. The kiss was all lips and he was eager to accept it. She ended the kiss by pulling out of his grasp, but balled his shirt in her right fist. He kept his hands at his sides, completely at a loss of what to do.

"I need to go home," she said, refusing to look into his eyes. She heard his sigh and felt her hand fall from his shirt when he stepped back and leaned against his door. "No, this was a good thing. It was," she pushed.

"Then why are you running?" His voice was husky, and his breath was shaky. She was hurting him again and it was killing the both of them.

"I'm not. I'm just going home, okay? I need to process this, I'll call you, I swear. Don't look at this like I'm running away," she pleaded and he nodded. They finally looked at each other again, and she couldn't help but smile.

"What does any of this mean?" He asked now.

"Everything," she answered. He smirked and nodded, completely agreeing with her nonsense answer. He reached for her waist and kissed her one more time.

"This is all you, Rory," he said when the kiss ended. She nodded and walked away. She turned back around when she was about halfway down the hall. He was still standing there, watching her.

"This is good, Jess." He nodded again and walked back into his room. She took a breath and continued her walk to the elevator. She was alone in it again and she took her phone out from her pocket. She looked through her contacts and stopped when she reached her mother's.

When she was out of the elevator, she hit the green call button and listened to it ring. She stopped walking once she was standing outside of the hotel and listened some more.

"Babe! How are you?" Lorelai asked when she answered the phone.

"Can you pick me up at the bus station tonight?" Rory asked. "I need to see you and get out of the city for a few days."

"Of course I will. Is everything all right?" Lorelai asked, much more concerned.

"It will be. I'll call you when I'm close, okay?"

"Yeah. I love you, Rory."

"Love you too, Mom."


	4. Everything's Magic

**AN: So, they just keep getting longer. Yet, this one didn't take very long to get up. I've realized that I am a HUGE over-user of commas and the word 'though'. I hope you don't mind. I really want to thank everyone that reviewed; you're awesome. Oh yeah, and I'm a littel semi-colon crazy too. Read, enjoy, review. Another chapter will probably be up by Saturday. The title of this chapter is Everything's Magic by Angels and Airwaves.  
**

She was sitting at her mother's kitchen table with Lorelai and April; Doula was asleep in April's bed, formerly Rory's bed. Luke was closing the diner. They all had coffee sitting in front of them and for the moment they were quiet. Rory had just told them about the past couple of days with Jess. April was pretty blind to Rory's past with him, so she took it quietly and tried to pick up all she could. Lorelai nodded, gasped, and laughed at all of the appropriate moments, with her hand resting on top of Rory's.

"It's just so typical that the one night I decide to come to Stars Hollow, his sister is staying over your house for the weekend," Rory chuckled dryly. Lorelai smiled and nodded.

"Next time Liz and TJ go out of town for a Renaissance Fair convention, I'll make sure it's not the same weekend you decide to make out with Jess," Lorelai joked causing both April and Rory to giggle.

"Thank you. That's all I was asking for."

"So, you and Jess dated?" April finally asked while Rory was downing a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, not for long, but we did when we were a little older than you," Rory explained. She put down her cup and thought through her past and what exactly she wanted to share with her sixteen year-old stepsister. "Here, this sums up the happy times." Rory took the picture she had ripped off of Alex's wall out of her back pocket and put it on the table in front of April. "There were some not happy times, though. We had a messed up relationship."

April looked at the picture and Lorelai peered at it from her side. "You look so in love," April stated quietly.

"Oh my god, you _do_ look intensely happy in this picture," Lorelai agreed when April handed it to her.

"I was so young, though. We're not the same people anymore. We are so different, Mom. You know how he is now and you _know_ how he was then," Rory said, pointing to the picture. "I promised him that it was a good thing. What if it's not? What if we do try this _again_ and it isn't good?" She laid her head on the table and Lorelai rubbed her back soothingly.

"Well then, Rory, at least you tried. You don't try anymore and clearly you think that this is worth a shot. Take a shot, make a damn effort," Lorelai pushed and Rory straightened back up.

"I never thought I'd hear you push me to try and work things out with Jess," Rory admitted.

"Me either, Babe," Lorelai smiled. Just then, Luke walked into the house and into the kitchen.

"Rory, hi! The apartment's ready for you whenever you want to head over," Luke said before he bent down and kissed Lorelai on the cheek. "Not too much later, April. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll just go to sleep once Rory leaves," she promised, he nodded and walked upstairs to take a shower.

"I'm going to head over there now. It's been a surprisingly long day," Rory announced as she stood from the table.

"I'll drive you, Rory. It's pretty late," Lorelai offered, standing up as well.

"Don't worry about it. It's Stars Hollow. Plus, the fresh air and _stars_ will do me some good," Rory smiled. "Thank you, though. I love you."

"I love you, too. Goodnight."

"'Night, Mom." Lorelai kissed her on the cheek and then kissed April. She walked upstairs without another word. "So, you got stuck on the couch, huh?" Rory asked April once they reached the living room.

"Yeah, I decided to be the good cousin and give the three year old my bed," April said. She sat down on the make-shift bed. "Since she's so small and prone to falling, though, the bed is surrounded by pillows and sweatpants and anything soft to break her fall without breaking any major bones."

"That's sweet," Rory smiled. "I should go. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll probably be working in the diner when you wake up." Rory nodded and left April to herself. When she got outside, she hugged her jacket tighter. Fall was sneaking up on them and it was starting to get chilly. Before she left the yard, she opened the Jeep's trunk and grabbed her overnight bag that was as full as possible. A traveling Gilmore has to be ready for anything.

She had predicted correctly, the fresh air was really calming her nerves and she wasn't thinking about her day. Plus, the stars that were invisible in the city were really breathtaking and one of the many things she had missed about Stars Hollow. It was nearly midnight and she was the only one outside. Obviously the citizens of Stars Hollow were fast asleep in their homes. Rory was, however, not able to sleep in her home and she was a little bitter about it.

Yes, her room was no longer hers; it was April's on the weekends and Rory could only ever visit on weekends. She hadn't slept in her house for years; instead she stayed above the diner. Her mother was now an early riser and Luke was very protective of his couch, so she opted for one of the beds in the apartment; Jess's old bed to be exact. Her home wasn't really hers anymore, but she would never voice that. If she lost Stars Hollow, she would lose everything. No matter how old she got and how much she loved Boston, she needed her mother and Stars Hollow. Where else would she go to process her feelings?

When she got to the diner, she pulled out her keys – yes, she was now the proud owner of a set of keys to the diner – and let herself in, making sure to lock the door behind her. She knew her way around the room better than she knew her way around her and Alex's apartment and got behind the curtain and up the stairs with ease. As soon as she entered the small apartment she flipped on the lights and threw her bag on the bed. She wasn't tired, but she was at a loss of what to do with herself.

After a quick shower, she changed into a pair of shorts and a Yale t-shirt. She made some coffee and waited for it to finish before she sat down on Jess's bed. She had Jess's book in front of her and she had finally let her mind drift back to earlier, when she had urged him to kiss her and told him that it was a good thing that it happened.

It was good; in that moment she was happy. The kisses were different than the ones she remembered, but only because they were more grown up and not so naïve. During those kisses that she shared with Jess, she was thinking of how her life could be complete; great career, awesome friends, close family, and then the one guy that had ever challenged her and made her knees weak every time he looked at her. Now, back to reality, she was only thinking of all the ways it could end. With Jess, chances were things would end badly.

She picked up the book, reread the inscription for what had to be the eleventh time, and opened to the page she had left off on. She was almost done the book thanks to the time she had on the bus. It was easy for Rory to fly through a book, especially one that she was passionate about. Anything that Jess could ever write would be one of those books. Not only because it was Jess, but because his writing was amazing; his stories were captivating. Within seconds, she was lost in the character's lives and everything that was going on around them. A few chapters left, and she had to stop reading because the apartment door flew open and all she heard was a few sighs and a very familiar "huh".

When Jess entered the apartment at last, he hung up his phone and rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. Rory wrestled her way onto her knees, and looked at him with shock written all over her face. Jess almost laughed when he finally noticed her, but he, too, was surprised. They both just looked at each other questioningly for a few seconds while he placed his bag on the floor near his feet. Then his shock wore off and he spoke up.

"I should have realized that by 'home' you were talking about Stars Hollow," he said. It sounded like an apology.

"I didn't even know I meant Stars Hollow until I was going through the numbers in my phone and saw my mom's," she explained. "It's not your fault."

"Right," he nodded and took in his surroundings, not sure of what to do or what to say.

"Why are you in Stars Hollow?" Rory asked him and he turned his attention back to where she was getting comfortable on the bed – _his _bed.

"Matthew had a date. I know how his dates usually end, so I told him I would head back and leave the hotel room for him. So, I took a detour. There's nothing waiting for me in Philly and I thought I'd check in with my mom and Luke… and yeah," he explained.

"Your mom's out of town for the weekend with TJ. They're at a Renaissance Fair convention. Your sister is staying with my mom, Luke, and April, though."

"I'm lucky, then. I didn't really want to deal with TJ this weekend." He yawned and cracked his back.

"You can have your bed back," Rory spoke again and started to get out of the bed. Jess moved toward her for the first time to stop her.

"Rory, don't. It's not mine anymore. I can sleep in Luke's bed. Please, just stay," he pleaded with her. She smiled at him, slightly amused at his persistence.

"Okay. I'll stay, but only because you really seem to want me to," she said. He let out a shaky laugh and sat at the edge of the bed, she sat next to him. "This should be an interesting weekend," Rory joked.

"It'll probably be one for the books," he agreed while looking at her. She faced him and pulled her legs onto the bed, sitting Indian style. He shifted his body to look at her head on.

"I'm sorry I freaked out," she told him, biting her lip.

"You didn't _really_ freak out. It could have been worse," he said smiling.

"This is very true." She smiled too. "Why is this so awkward?" She asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Because we have no idea what do with ourselves? Because after knowing each other for as long as we have, we have absolutely no idea what's going to happen?" He guessed.

"I don't want to mess this up," Rory admitted quietly. "I don't even know what _this_ is, though."

"Neither do I; on both accounts," Jess agreed just as quietly. He put a finger underneath her chin and made her look at him. She smiled weakly and he returned an equally weak smile. "We've been through a lot, Rory."

"More than most," she agreed.

"Is it worth it?" He asked. This time he refused to look away from her and she continued looking at him as well. She took a deep breath before answering.

"It's worth a try," she said. She sat up on her knees and held onto both sides of his face. "Isn't it?"

He swallowed and nodded. She kissed him then. He reciprocated and leaned into her. She rearranged her legs and let him push her onto the bed. When she felt his tongue on her lips, she gasped and he slipped it into her mouth. He was holding himself above her and she hooked her right leg around his left knee, pulling him down to rest on her. They never stopped kissing. Rory didn't want to break the contact because she knew that the second their lips separated, she would come to her senses and kick him out of bed. He was thinking the same thing which is why he was forcing himself not to reach for her t-shirt and pull it over her head. Tonight couldn't go any further than this mind-blowing kiss.

His elbows were still slightly propping him above her, but his hands were tangled in her hair. Her arms were around his waist, holding him to her. When he pulled back slightly, she nipped at his bottom lip and he lost all train of thought and delved his tongue into her mouth again. Whatever she had planned, he was happy to oblige. Then, though, she unwrapped her arms from his waist and pulled her head from his. He looked down at her, breathing heavily and licked his lips. She cupped his face in her hands again and kissed him quickly and tenderly. He took the hint and rolled next to her, one leg hanging off of the small bed. She reached for his hand and tangled their fingers together.

"We were always good at that part," Rory said, turning onto her side to face him. He looked back at her and smiled.

"Yes, we were," Jess agreed. He turned onto his side, as well to face her and let go of her hand. Instead, he put his hand on her hip and pulled her closer to him. "It was more than that, though."

"I know," she agreed, kicking a leg over his. She stroked his cheek for a second, it was stubbly, and she let her hand rest on his neck. His hand was resting on her back, underneath her t-shirt. "Your hands have never been cold."

"What?" He asked, chuckling.

"It's just, no matter what time of year it is, your hands are always warm," she explained, smiling at him. He smiled too and rested his forehead against hers. "I was just making an observation." He thought about it and nodded. She kissed the corner of his mouth and snuggled in closer to him. "You're not staying in this bed tonight."

"I wasn't planning on it," he said, smirking. "One of us would end up on the floor if we ever attempted that."

"Yes, we are grown-ups. We would need a bigger bed for something like that," she agreed. He nodded and rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. She rested a leg between his and put her hands onto his shoulders. One of his hands was resting on her hip and the other was on the back of her bare thigh.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked as he ran his hand up and down in short strokes.

"Aren't you hot?" She asked. He was in jeans and was still wearing his sweatshirt he had been wearing when he came in.

"Something like that," he said, laughing quietly. "I should take a shower, and get to bed. It's late."

"It is. I have to wake up and continue processing in the morning. I've talked to my mom and April. Lane is next," she said. She stood up, and watched him while he sat up in bed.

"You've already talked to your mom about this?" He asked and she nodded. "I would've rather you start with Lane. She always liked me more than Lorelai."

"Don't worry. My mom's pulling for you," she told him and he curiously raised an eyebrow in response.

"Is that so?" He asked. He stood up in front of her, waiting for an answer. She just nodded. "What are you pulling for?"

"You," she answered before kissing him quickly. "I'm not done processing, though. Go, take a shower."

"Fine," he answered. She got back into bed and watched as he grabbed his bag from the floor and walked into the bathroom. It was definitely going to be an interesting weekend.

-*-*-

She woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating. She looked at Jess sprawled on Luke's bed, fast asleep, before answering her phone. "Hey, Mom," she said, yawning.

"Sweetie, baby, cookie, honey, Mommy needs a _huge_ favor from her favorite daughter," Lorelai said, cheery voice in place.

"What would that be?" Rory asked. She sat up in bed. Jess was stirring, probably about to wake up from hearing Rory's conversation.

"Michel is freaking out over a wedding at the inn. He needs me to help him. I prepared the whole thing and he was supposed to take care of the actual wedding, but the bride is not being very cooperative and he was practically crying when he asked me to come in. So, what I need, since April and Luke are working, is for you to watch Doula for a few hours," Lorelai rambled on, ending with a sigh.

"I'm sure Jess would love to," Rory answered, prepared for whatever Lorelai had to say.

"What? Why would Jess come all the way to Stars Hollow to watch his sister for a couple of hours?" Lorelai asked. "Unless…"

"Unless he's already asleep in Luke's bed across the room from me about to wake up," Rory laughed quietly. "He showed up last night. He didn't know that I was here."

"Did anything happen?"

"Can we talk about it later?" Rory asked. Just then, Jess woke up and stretched his arms above his head.

"Something happened," Lorelai assumed. "Have him come by the inn to pick her up whenever he's ready. We'll be here."

"'Kay. Love you," Rory said, drawing out the last words, hinting that that was the end of the conversation.

"Love you," Lorelai echoed. Rory hung up her phone and put it on the bedside table. When she looked over at Jess again, he was sitting up in bed and looking at her. He was smirking, curious about whatever her conversation had been about.

"How would you feel about hanging out with your sister for a couple of hours while my mom works and I visit Lane?" Rory asked, pushing the covers off of her and getting out of bed.

"That would be fine. She's the main reason I came back to this goddamn town," he told her. He moved over to one side of the bed and watched Rory slide in next to him. She reached under the blanket and held his hand. He rested his chin on her shoulder and kissed her cheek lightly. "What are you doing in my bed?" He asked quietly.

"Just sittin'," she answered just as quietly. He nodded against her shoulder before resting his head against the wall behind him. "I'm glad you showed up out of nowhere last night."

"I wouldn't have come if I knew you were here. I knew you needed space," he told her. He lifted their hands above the covers and inspected them closely. Perfect fit.

"Space is overrated," she said, squeezing his hand. "This makes it easier. Before you came in last night, I had no idea what I wanted. I was so afraid to admit that I like you – as juvenile as that sounds – but you came into the apartment and I do like you."

"So, this is what you want?" He asked. He lifted their hands to his mouth and kissed the back of hers.

"I think so, yeah," she answered. "Jess, this is a big deal. I don't want to jump into anything. You know?"

"I get it, Rory. Believe me; I know what you're talking about. I don't want to fuck this up. If anything happens, we need to take it slow," he told her.

"I mean, we don't need to go snail speed slow," she said slyly. "Luckily we get to skip all the awkward getting to know each other phases. We should revisit some of it, though."

"Yeah, we can revisit it," he agreed. His confusion was second in command to his happiness. She was already talking as if they were going to get back together even though they had made no such decision. He leaned over and kissed her softly. "I should get ready."

"So should I. My mom said you can pick Doula up at the inn whenever you're ready. You can walk me to Lane's on the way if you want," Rory said when Jess stepped out of bed. He stretched his back and she watched his t-shirt slide up showing the bottom of his stomach and she smiled.

"I'd love to," he told her, once he had finished stretching and yawning. She crawled onto her knees and perched in front of him, putting her arms around his neck. He smiled and rested his arms around her waist. "Hi."

"Hi." Rory leaned in and kissed him, lingering for a second before pulling away. "You're different."

"How so?" He asked, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"I don't know. You're just so much more mature and _nice_," she said, struggling for a proper explanation. "You dress differently. You're like a man."

"Aging a few years and going through some shit can do that to a person," he explained with a smirk. "You're pretty different yourself."

"I don't feel any different," she told him truthfully.

"Are you kidding me?" He asked, incredulous. "You grew up, too, Rory. You may come back here at times, but your life is in Boston. You're a successful journalist. You're an adult with an adult life. You have friends with benefits."

"Is that what you think this is?" Rory asked sadly. Jess shrugged. "It's more than that. I care about you so much."

"I love you, Rory. I never stopped," Jess said, dropping his arms. Rory's mouth fell open, but she kept her arms around his neck. He leaned his forehead against her chest. "I shouldn't have said that."

"I'm glad you said it," Rory whispered, stroking the back of his head. "I want you to tell me the truth."

"The truth is, I have to go pick up my sister," Jess said and Rory dropped her arms and let him step out of her embrace. When he closed the bathroom door behind him, she got dressed quickly and walked downstairs to the diner.

"Hey Rory," April said when she saw Rory come from behind the curtain.

"Hi April," Rory responded, sitting down on a stool. "Can I get a coffee to go?"

"Sure. Are you going to talk to Lane?" April asked, while she filled a to-go cup. Jess walked out from behind the curtain and his eyes immediately landed on Rory. April jumped from the sudden appearance and spilled some coffee on the floor at her feet and looked at Jess; then at Rory. "Oh."

"I'm going to see Lane," Rory clarified.

"Hey April," Jess said. He nodded towards the coffee, silently asking for his own cup.

"Hey Jess," she was still surprised, but put Rory's cup in front of her and grabbed another one for Jess. She filled it and handed it to him, then turned her attention back to Rory. She had no idea what to say, so she just walked away to the kitchen. She passed Luke on the way; he stopped dead in his tracks and looked at his nephew.

"Jess, what are you doing here?" Luke asked, surprised. He walked toward him and put his arms around him. Jess put hugged him back. They pulled apart and smiled at each other.

"I had a, kind of, rough week. Thought I'd stop by and see my sister and my uncle. I got here late, though, so I used the extra key," Jess answered, nodding toward the door. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't. As long as Rory doesn't mind sharing the apartment with you," Luke said, turning his attention to Rory.

"It's fine," she answered shortly.

"She didn't seem to mind," Jess agreed. "I've got to go get Doula out of Lorelai's hair. I'll see you later?" He asked Luke.

"You should come over for dinner tonight," he answered. Jess nodded.

"You ready, Rory?" He asked. She looked surprised, but got up anyways.

"I'll see you tonight, Luke," she said, following Jess out of the diner. He waited for her to catch up and then they walked in the direction of the inn and Lane's house. "What happened upstairs? I don't understand why you're upset. You're the one who said this was just friends with benefits. I know it's more than that."

"I'm not upset. I'm embarrassed," he admitted, looking straight ahead of him. She nodded and walked a little closer to him.

"You shouldn't be, Jess. I'm sorry if I'm confusing you or making this harder than it has to be, but we both said we don't want to mess this up. I'm trying really hard not to mess this up," she told him. "What if we get back together and end up hating each other?"

"Why are you so sure that this isn't going to work?" He asked, his voice rising just a little.

"I'm not saying that, Jess. I am worried about it, though," her voice was rising as well.

"You said it was worth a try. So are we going to try?"

"Do I have to answer that now?" Her voice was small again, afraid that question would ruin everything.

"No, but I'd like to know before I head back to Philadelphia," he told her. She looked over at him and he was completely serious.

"I guess that's fair," she said. "Please, just don't be upset. I think this is something that we both really need to think about before jumping into."

"I'm already in it, Rory. It's all you, remember?" He asked, looking at her sideways.

"Yeah, I remember," she answered. She looked up at him with questioning eyes and he pulled on her belt loops, bringing her into his side, and put his arm around her shoulder. "I said that you were different, but you're still so much the same."

"I'm still me; just like you're still you."

"It's just weird to see the two yous mixed into one you, I guess," she said. She laughed at the absurdity of her sentence.

"Saying crazy shit like that isn't going to make me forget that we have no definitive relationship." His voice was teasing, but he meant what he said.

"It makes you like me again, though," she said. The sun was shining behind his head and she was squinting when she looked at him. Looking at her like that made him forget that he was confused as all hell; she looked so real and honest. He had to lean in and kiss her. They stopped walking and turned their bodies toward each other, intensifying the kiss. That was all good and fine until Miss Patty and Babette interrupted them with simultaneous gasps. Rory pulled away, looked at Jess, and said, "We should have thought this through."

"Rory! Why didn't your mother tell us about this? This is big news! Tillie doesn't know does she?" Babette started firing off questions until Rory and Jess finally faced them. Rory grabbed his hand and held on tight.

"Um, this isn't news worthy, Babette. Patty, please tell her that this isn't news worthy?" Rory was pulling at straws. All she could do was hope that Miss Patty was on her side.

"I'm sorry Honey, but this is the biggest news Stars Hollow has had since your mom and Luke got married without telling anyone," Patty answered. Jess bit his lip and stared at his shoes. Rory just nodded, hung her head and pulled Jess out of their line of fire. The walk to Lane's only lasted a minute or so longer and it was silent until they reached her doorstep.

"Well, looks like you better make up your mind before the town does," Jess said, grabbing the bottom of her jacket. She held on to his hip and the arm of his jacket before agreeing.

"Next thing we'll know is Taylor will be trying to make up some law about kissing step-cousins," she joked. Jess laughed humorously and kicked her toe gently. She smiled up at him. "Sorry." He shrugged it off before kissing her deeply. She was still smiling when he pulled back.

"I should get going," he said while making no effort to actually move.

"As should I," she agreed standing still. "You'd think that by not wanting to say goodbye to you, even if just for a few hours, would be some sort of inkling that something is going on."

"Something _is_ going on. We just don't what it is yet," he said. He pulled her in closer before kissing her again. "Figure it out." With that he let go of her and continued walking towards the inn. As soon as he was out of sight, Rory turned towards Lane's house and saw her best friend staring with her husband and sons.

"I really need to talk to you, Lane," Rory said before she climbed the stairs to the door.

"Seems that way," Lane agreed. She pulled Rory into a hug while Zach and the boys went into the boys' room. "Come inside!"

They walked into the living room and sat down on the oversized couch. "Did you guys get back together? What's going on? When did this happen? How's the sex?" Lane's questions were coming in fast, but Rory knew Lane well enough to know exactly what she was asking.

"We're not really back together. We're still trying to figure it out; right now we're kissing a lot and staying in separate beds above the diner for the weekend. He went to Boston for a book signing and was staying at the hotel Alex works in and we ran into each other and hung out for a little while. I saw him Thursday, kissed him on Friday. Ended up sharing a room with him later on Friday and today has been just as crazy. I have not slept with him, though," Rory said just as quickly. Lane kept up wonderfully and was speechless by the end of Rory's confession. "It's really screwed up and I need to know what you think."

"What do Lorelai and Alex think?" Lane asked, settling into the couch. Rory kicked off her shoes, and pulled her legs onto the couch.

"Alex thinks that I'm in love with him. My mom thinks that I should make an effort. They both want me to go for it. I want to go for it, but I'm really fucking scared that it will not be successful," Rory admitted, finally. "What do you think?"

"I think that with everything the two of have been through and the fact that you can still look at each other like you're the only two people in world is a pretty big sign that you should take a shot at it," Lane explained. "He loves you so much, Rory. He always has. You've always wondered how your life would be if you ran off with him when he asked, so find out."

"See, that brings up another issue. I'm in Boston, he's in Philadelphia. We wouldn't exactly be walking distant from each other," Rory said. She had a point; things would not be easy.

"Yes, but you're both writers, Rory. If you try the long distance thing – yes, you'd have to make a huge effort to see each other – but, think about it, both of you could write from anywhere."

"He asked me last night if it was worth it," Rory stated. Then, "Do you think it's worth it?"

"I think that you are head over heels in love with Jess Mariano and that makes everything you two would go through worth it."


	5. To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts

**AN: Here it is. It's a day late and I'm sorry for that. I hope you like it for what it's worth. I put A LOT of thought into it and it's a pretty big, important chapter. I think that you guys should leave me lots and lots of feedback when you're done reading it because it always makes me feel all warm and shiny and it makes me want to write more and update faster. Please read and review. Most of all, though, please enjoy this very big, very important chapter. **

**PS The title of this chapter is To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts which is a son by Matt Nathanson. He is the greatest man alive and I do plan on marrying him.  
**

"This is the work you left dinner early for?" Rory asked when she sat down next to Jess on the couch above the diner. The TV was on and he was reading a book.

"I left two and a half hours ago; I've already finished going through the draft that I had to go through," he explained, putting the book on the coffee table in front of them. "Plus, I don't do well with family gatherings. Not to mention, you and I didn't speak more than five words to each other during the three hours I was there."

"It was weird," was how she responded. "My mom and April know what's going, but Luke doesn't. It was just weird."

"I'm not saying it was your fault, Rory," he explained quickly. "It _was _weird."

"Okay," she said, smiling. "What time are you heading back to Philly tomorrow?"

"No later than ten," he answered, she laughed. "What?"

"You weren't even awake at 10 this morning," she answered.

"I had a long night last night," he explained, smirking. "What time are you leaving?"

"I don't know; probably the same time if I'm already awake," she told him and he nodded. His back was resting against the arm of the couch, sitting Indian style. She turned her body to mirror his. "Can we talk?"

"I thought we were talking," he joked. Rory rolled her eyes.

"Well, I had something specific in mind. And I can't be all cute with you unless I'm being completely honest," she explained, looking down. Jess used his knee to nudge hers, causing her to look back up at him.

"Then stop being cute and get real," he said, resting a hand on her knee. She took a deep breath and used her own hand to cover his.

"I really like you, Jess. Like, to the point where I'm falling in love with you," she started to say. Jess swallowed hard and continued looking at her. "It really scares me, though." She reached into her back pocket with her free hand and put something facedown in Jess's lap. He picked it up and turned it over.

"When-? What is this?" He asked, looking at the picture of him and Rory from when they were together.

"Lane took it one day the first time we were together. You probably don't remember," she told him. He shook his head; he didn't remember. "Well, that was taken less than two weeks before we broke up. Everyone that's seen it looks at it and says how happy and in love we look. But, Jess, less than _fourteen_ days later you were gone and we were over."

"Jesus, Rory. I was eighteen. That was a long time ago. We're not the same people we were then. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here and in fourteen days, I promise you I will still be here," Jess said, shaking in his head in disbelief.

"That's a lie; because in fourteen days you won't be here. You'll be in Philadelphia and I'll be in Boston. We couldn't work when we lived three seconds away from each other. How do you know we'll work when we live almost six hours away from each other?"

"Because, Rory, I'm willing to make this work. I'm willing to try everything to be with you. We can visit on weekends, talk on the phone, text, video chat. We can make this work if we want it to."

"I want it to work, but I don't want to throw myself into this and end up hurt or end up hurting you, Jess," she said. Her voice was low; she was trying to keep from crying.

"You're so sure that this is going to end with one of us hurting the other person, Rory. But what if we try this and we actually work? You're not thinking of the two possibilities here. You're thinking of the worst case scenario and I'm not going to run away to California anytime soon," he told her and now she was definitely tearing up.

"Why did you leave me?" She asked. She didn't even know why she had asked, it just came out. But at the same time she didn't want to take the question back. She was watching him, waiting for an answer. He looked at her and sighed, placing a reassuring hand on her cheek. His thumb wiped away a falling tear.

"I didn't go because of you; I fucked up, I couldn't stay and bring you down with me," he answered sadly. She nodded into his palm and waited for him to continue. "It was stupid. I was stupid. I was in love with you, but I didn't know it yet. I was too proud to let you in. I was a kid. I'm twenty-six now and I still love you. Doesn't that mean anything?"

"It means we really have to trust each other. Plus, with being so far away from each other we need to trust each other ten times more than normal," she said wiping the remainder of her tears away, trying to smile.

"What are you saying, Rory?" He asked her. He needed to hear her say it.

"Do you want to be my boyfriend again?" She asked giggling. He breathed a huge sigh of relief and leaned in to kiss her. She laid back and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him down with her.

When they were in a horizontal position, he pulled back and smiled one of his rare, breathtaking smiles. She smiled back then rubbed his cheek, moved her hand to the back of his head and pulled him in for another kiss. He moved his lips from her mouth to her neck, making her breathing more rapid. Her fingernails were digging into the back of his scalp and one of her legs was wrapping around the lower part of his body. While he was still kissing her neck, he wedged one of his arms beneath her back, pulling her into him more. This caused a moan to escape from her. She moved her hands from his hair to his chest and pushed him gently away before reaching her head towards his and kissing him with need. Before too long, the kisses were hot and wet and he was pulling her with him to sit up.

He sat up on the couch and she hovered above his lap with one knee on either side of his body. He pulled her to sit on him and they both moaned. She grabbed the fabric of his shirt, balling it in her fists. One of his hands was resting on the small of her back while the other was at the back of her neck – tangled in her hair – holding her head to his until it started traveling lower down her back. After a few minutes of this, Rory pulled back and hung her head back, breathing heavily and smiling. Jess's hands were resting, laced together, on the center of her back, protecting her.

"You're going to be the death of me," he said under his breath while letting his own head fall back against the couch.

"Believe me, my intentions are not to kill you," she promised. She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled herself closer to him, aligning their hips, and rested her forehead against his. His hands were now on her thighs, rubbing gently on her jeans. "We're going to make this work, right?" She was whispering, worried again.

"We're going to do everything we can to make this last," he promised quietly.

"Forever?" She asked.

"I'd say forever is a pretty fair estimate, yeah," he told her and then took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm not going to be perfect, though. I'm going to screw up, but I need you to put up with it."

"I'll be there just like you better be there when I screw up," she told him.

"Deal." He kissed the tip of her nose, then. She smiled, turned her head to look at the clock in the kitchen, and rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. "Tired?"

"It's been awhile since I've had a fiery make-out session." He laughed and she could feel it through her whole body. "Although, you have always been the best kisser."

"Oh yeah?" He asked, eyebrow rising even though she couldn't see him. She nodded into his neck, smiling. She softly kissed him before sitting up and looking at him.

"Now I don't want this weekend to end."

"There's always next weekend."

"I guess we should take turns with the whole visiting thing, huh?" She asked him and he shrugged. "So, I should maybe come to see you in Philadelphia. Meet your friends?"

"I might like that, yeah," Jess told her, smirking. "My room is not as furnished as this place, though. I've got a dresser, a desk, a bookcase, and just the one bed."

"Hm, I hope you at least have a comfortable couch in the living room," she said, trying to sound serious.

"I don't know if I'd want you on display like that for the guys. I've seen the kind of clothes that you sleep in. You'd probably be better off just bunking with me," he told her, playing the same game.

"It's definitely something to consider," she finally said. "It is getting late, though. You've got to get back to the guys and I have to get back to my guy."

"Right. I understand what you were saying about not wanting this weekend to end," he told her and removed his hands from her thighs while she stood up. He stood up with her and they both stretched. Rory smiled and walked into the bathroom to change into her pajamas. Jess changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt while he was alone in the apartment.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, Jess walked into the bathroom. She sat on Jess's old bed and began reading while he was in there. When she looked up he was standing in front of her. "What's up, man?" She asked after a few seconds of silence. He just took her hand – causing her to drop the book – pulled her up, and nodded towards Luke's old bed; at least it was a double. She thought about it for a second and right before she was about to speak he kissed her gently.

"I don't bite," he said when he pulled away. Rory narrowed her eyes at him before speaking.

"You try any funny business, mister, and this will be the shortest relationship you've ever been in," she warned, before leading them to the bed.

"I don't know about it being the _shortest_, but it'd be up there," he said, rumbling with laughter. They got into bed facing each other, getting as close as possible – tangling their legs together – and then he caught her by surprise and kissed her; it was short, but it was sweet. "This is going to work, Rory," he whispered.

"I believe you," she said, yawning. He kissed her again on the lips and then on the forehead before reaching behind him and turning off the light.

-*-*-

The next morning she felt a warm hand on her cheek and a soft kiss on her forehead. She reached for the wrist connected to the hand and held onto it. "You better not be leaving," she said, sleep lacing her voice.

"Not yet, but soon," he said while he sat down on the bed in front of her. "Do you want a ride to the bus station?" She let go of his wrist, and laid on her back, smiling up at him. He moved his hand from her cheek to rest on hip.

"You're my favorite person ever," she said, reaching for his free hand. "I have to get ready and say goodbye to my mom and Luke."

"They're both downstairs and we've got a little time before Matthew and Chris have me fired and kicked out of the apartment," he told her with a slight smirk. "I'll make you some coffee."

"Seriously, you are my favorite person _ever_," she said. They both got out of bed. He went to the small kitchen, she went into the bathroom. When she got into the bathroom, she took a long look at herself in the mirror. The entire time that she was looking at her reflection her smile grew larger by the second until she finally got into the shower to get ready.

The coffee that Jess made for her was still warm when she was showered and dressed. After she took a few sips, she finished packing her bag and stood in front of him. "So, what do they know?" Rory asked him, hooking one of her thumbs into his front pocket.

"I went down to grab a donut and I must have looked really exhausted because your mom made a semi-dirty comment about you and me staying up all night. It caused a reaction from Luke and I told them that we were together and that's pretty much it," he said, thinking over everything. "Then I just came back upstairs without listening to their questions."

"So that's good. It means that when we get down there we might be able to say goodbye and leave. I can deal with my mom later; she won't make it too bad if we're in the diner," Rory told him, smiling to reassure him.

"Okay. Whatever you say," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the door while picking up her overnight bag. "As long as we make it out alive."

They walked down to the diner, still holding hands. Rory was a little nervous to see Luke's reaction, but she had no reason to be nervous for Lorelai since she had been pulling for Jess from the beginning. Before they moved the curtain and exposed themselves to the entire diner, she stood taller and placed a small kiss on his lips. Jess pulled on her hand and kicked the curtain out of the way. As expected, almost everyone's eyes were on them.

Taylor was sitting with Miss Patty and she was whispering an 'I told you so'. Kirk was at the counter, shaking his head. Luke was standing in front of the table Lorelai, April and Doula was sitting at, slightly smiling. Rory smiled and let the whole room know that it was not up for discussion before continuing her journey to her mother's table with Jess.

"Heading back to Boston, Sweets?" Lorelai asked when they had reached the table successfully. Both Rory and Jess could still feel people's eyes on them.

"Yeah, Alex and I have our traditional Sunday night plans," Rory explained. "Jess is going to drive me to Hartford to catch an early bus."

"That's very thoughtful of him," Lorelai said, looking first at the entwined hands and then directly at Jess. He just nodded before looking down at his shoes.

"Well, I'm glad you guys came down this weekend," April said, speaking up. "It certainly caused some crazy conversations the past couple of days."

"Oh, lucky us," Jess finally said. Rory smiled up at him and nodded in agreement.

"We should get going, guys," Rory said, letting Jess's hand drop. Lorelai nodded. Rory leaned down and kissed her mother lightly on the cheek. "Love you." She hugged April and Luke and kissed Doula in the cheek. "Bye you," she said.

Jess hugged Luke silently and patted April on the shoulder. When he reached his sister, he picked her up out of her chair and she threw her arms around his neck tightly. "Bye kid," he said, smoothing down her blonde hair. "I'll miss you." He kissed her gently on the top of her head.

"Miss you, big brother," she said when she let got of him and climbed back into her chair. He ruffled her hair.

"Bye," everyone said in unison. Jess picked up Rory's bag and grabbed her hand before heading out of the diner. He opened the trunk to his rented car and threw her bag in next to his. They climbed into the car and he drove off in silence.

After a few minutes, Rory said, "You're really good with her."

Jess looked at her quickly before turning back to face the road. "Who?" He asked.

"Doula. I noticed yesterday and then right now that you're a good big brother," she explained, holding his hand on top of the gearshift.

"I'm the only one she's got. She's easy to like," he said while smiling slightly.

"I just never would have thought that you'd be so good with her… or any kid," she said carefully, trying hard not to offend him.

"Like I said, it's easy to like her. Any other kid would probably never have the same effect on me," he said truthfully. She nodded and turned her attention to the window. She was debating whether or not to tell him that when they had first kissed – in the hotel – she felt like he could make her life complete. She didn't want to scare him off, but at the same time, she had told him that she wanted him to tell her the truth always. "Where's your head?" He asked all of a sudden, looking at her for a second.

"Just thinking about you," she answered honestly and squeezed his hand. He smirked. "Thinking about this weekend and how crazy it turned out."

"Well, when I went to Boston for a book signing I surely didn't plan on ending up in Stars Hollow and leaving as your boyfriend."

"If I tell you something do you promise not to freak out?" She asked all of a sudden. She let go of his hand and put her hair up in a messy ponytail. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her while they sat at a stoplight.

"Okay," he said wearily. She smiled to reassure him.

"Right after I kissed you at the hotel and before I freaked out – Actually, it was more like _while _I was kissing you, but anyways – I just felt like I never wanted to stop. Kissing you made me truly happy and, at that moment, I wasn't thinking about how we would end or how much it scared me that you made me feel the way you do. I was just thinking about the way my life could be with you in it. I'd have everything that I could ever want; job, friends, family, and you. Being with you scares the crap out of me, but only because you make my life _that_ much closer to being perfect," she said, letting out a breath and a worried smile. Jess thought about it and nodded.

He leaned over the center console and kissed her, placing his hand at the back of her neck. They both smiled into the kiss and it could have continued, but there was a beep behind them, telling them that the light was green. He was still smiling when he pulled away and continued driving.

"If you don't kill me, you're definitely going to cause me to kill my street cred," he joked, putting his hand on her thigh. She laughed and kissed his cheek. "That's exactly what I'm talking about."

"You were never as tough as you thought you were," she told him. "You've always had a sweet side to you. It's getting worse with old age, too." Her most vivid memory was when he told her the distance from Stars Hollow to Yale: 22.8 miles. There were other moments, though, that proved he wasn't always a horrible boyfriend.

"Only when it comes to you," he admitted. "And, I guess, my sister," he added. Rory nodded and smiled triumphantly. They drove on in silence. Rory played with Jess's hand that was still on her leg while she looked out the window. When she noticed that they were pulling into the bus station, she let go of his hand and let out a small breath. Jess put his hand on top of her head and ran it down the back until he reached her shoulders. He pulled her closer and kissed her temple before pulling into a spot.

They both got out of the car and walked around to the open trunk. Jess grabbed her bag and closed the trunk. He put her bag on the back of the car and pulled her to stand in between it and him. She looked up at him sadly and he mirrored her sentiments. She pushed herself to sit on the back of the car and pulled him closer by the hand. He put his hands on either side of her body, his arms creating a cage around her body. Her hands gripped at his forearms.

"This is when it starts to get hard, huh?" Rory asked. He nodded unhappily. She nodded, too, trying to prolong their time together. "I can come to Philly on Friday, but it wouldn't be until after work so I'd get there kind of late."

"You can come whenever you want. The guys and I usually stay up pretty late working," he told her with a slight smile. "I want you to come as soon as you can."

"Good. I want to be there as soon as I can," she told him. "What are your plans for the week? Are you doing anything exciting?"  
"I'll just be working. I've got to finish editing that book I started last night," he said, looking down. She reached up and put a warm hand on his face. He leaned into her palm and smiled. "What about you?"

"Sunday nights with Alex consist of Chinese and movies. The rest of the week is just work; nothing exciting," she said. He pulled his face away from her hand and she leaned in to kiss his forehead lightly.

"Don't- Don't let any creepy guys take you home from the bar?" Jess said, but it was more like a question and Rory smiled.

"Don't worry. I only let the really good looking men walk me home," she told him and he smiled. He leaned in closer and kissed her softly, lingering on her bottom lip. "I don't want my bus to come."

"I don't want to drive all the way to Philly alone." She kissed him again and rested her forehead on his when the kiss ended. He glanced down at his watch and sighed, pulling away. She knew what it meant and slid off of the car. "I'll see you on Friday," he said, grabbing the bag to hand to her.

"Don't forget about me," she requested quietly, taking the bag from him.

"Forgetting you is an impossibility," he promised. She nodded and put her free arm around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. She buried her head into his neck and he put an arm around her waist and kissed her hair. "You're going to miss it," he whispered, even though he didn't remove his arm from her body.

"I should have driven and then I wouldn't be missing anything," she mumbled into his neck. He smiled into her hair and kissed her again before removing his arm. She pulled back as well and let her arm drop. "I'll see you on Friday."

"I'll call you when I get home," he promised and she nodded, hoping to God that he was telling the truth. "Oh and, just so you know, you're already perfect without having me in your life," he said quietly. She leaned in again and kissed him long and hard before pulling back and walking away. He watched her until she reached the bus about to pull away. They watched each other until the bus was gone and Jess got into his car to drive home.

As soon as Rory was on the bus, she opened up _Last Call_ and read until the very end of the book. When she leaned down to put it in her bag, she realized that she was barely crying; tears slowly traveling down her face. This was harder than either of them had imagined. Four days back in each other's lives and she felt like her world was falling down around her because he went back to Philly. If it was going to work between them they were going to need to work their asses off. She knew that, they both knew that, everyone knew that. Rory and Jess as a couple was never easy in the first place. Now that they're both older and adults they can hopefully get past all the crap that fucked up their relationship in the first place.

When Rory's bus pulled into South Station, she really was excited to be home. The entire weekend she had not talked to Alex once. She wanted to see how everything played out before she did and now that she had something big to report, she was happy she got to see his facial expression when she did. She was so excited to tell him everything that she booked it out of South Station and hopped on the subway.

When she reached her apartment it took her second to wrangle her keys out of her pocket. As soon as she got inside she threw her bag on the floor and started towards Alex's room. Halfway to his door, it opened and the guy that worked at the hotel with him walked out, pulling on a shirt.

"Oh wow," Rory stated, falling onto the couch. When Alex heard her voice, he ran from his room to see her, also pulling on a t-shirt.

"Hey Babe! This is, uh, Kurt," Alex said, nervously. Kurt waved from where he was still planted.

"It's very nice to meet you, Kurt," Rory said, looking at Kurt before turning a short, but sharp, glare at Alex. "Will you be joining us for our weekly movie night?"

"I've got to get to work. It was nice to meet you, though," he said and turned to Alex and kissed him quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow." Alex and Rory watched him leave the apartment and Rory waited until they heard the outside door close before speaking.

"Really Alex? How did that happen? I thought you didn't even like him and now you're having sex when I'm not around?" Rory said, giggling slightly.

"Well I promised to date him so that I could get you Jess's room number and it turns out he's great date. Plus, I haven't had sex in a really long time," Alex whined, while he plopped down next to Rory.

"Do you like him? Like, really like him?" She asked, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I think so. He used to creep me out, but he's not that creepy when he gets you alone. I don't know, he's worth a few more dates," Alex told her. "Enough about him, though. How was home? Did you make any decisions?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," she said smiling into his shoulder before sitting up to look at him.

"What happened? Have you talked to him?"

"Talked, made out, spent the weekend, had a seriously depressing goodbye at the bus station in Hartford," she said and with every new point she made, Alex gasped or hit her on the leg.

"What the hell happened this weekend?" He asked, practically jumping up and down.

"He left Boston to leave his hotel room to his friend and he said he had nothing waiting for him in Philly so he visited his sister and Luke. He knows where the extra key for the diner is hidden and he just showed up while I was reading on Friday night and we made out. Then on Saturday we talked a lot and I asked him to be my boyfriend. Today we told people and he drove me to the bus before heading back to Philadelphia. It's a long story. I will tell you more once we get some Chinese food and Matt Damon into our systems," she said and Alex smiled triumphantly.

"I knew that you loved him," he said before he picked up the phone to order the take out.

Rory smiled too. Friday was sure to be just as interesting as the past weekend; a new city for her to explore with her old new boyfriend.


	6. Just to be There

**AN: This took WAY too long for me to get up. I'm sorry. I really hope you liked it. I really did work my ass off on it. Let me know what you think please. It's an important chapter, so it's important for me to get your feedback. Read, review and Enjoy.**

**PS: Just to be There by Chase Emery.  
**

"For the nine hundredth time, Alex: I have not had sex with Jess!" Rory yelled from her bedroom, stuffing more clothes into her bag. Alex sat down on her bed laughing.

"I know, Sweetie. I'm just saying that you will this weekend," he said pulling a pair of sweatpants out of her bag. "Nuh no I will not allow you to wear these on this very important trip." Rory grimaced but lunged for the pants anyways.

"He has _roommates_, Alex," she explained and stuffed them deeper into her bag. "Plus, it's cold."

"It won't be cold when you're doing the horizontal mambo," he joked, doing a small dance on the bed. Rory laughed but rolled her eyes.

"And if we don't end up having sex or mamboing I will be cold. The pants are staying packed," she argued and now it was Alex's turn to roll his eyes.

"Most importantly, you two will have sex," he said. "And at least tell me that you're packing the good panty and bra sets we bought a few months ago."

"Don't worry, Miss Cleo, my underwear choices are purely sexual," she told him. She was smiling, but her face was bright red.

"Good," he said standing up. "Kurt's waiting. I'll see you on Sunday."

"Have fun this weekend," Rory said and kissed his cheek.

"Yeah, you too," Alex said in a suggestive tone.

Rory watched him leave and listened to the door lock behind him. She took a quick look at her alarm clock and started packing faster. She needed to leave if she wanted to get to Philadelphia before eleven. When she finished packing she threw her bag onto the kitchen table and filled a travel mug with hot coffee. When the mug was half full her phone rang and she answered it.

"What's up, Mom?" She asked, smiling. She wedged the phone between her shoulder and her ear and finished filling her mug with coffee.

"I was just calling to make sure that my one and only daughter was still alive," Lorelai answered.

"I'm very alive, but I'm in a very big rush," Rory told her before whipping on her jacket.

"Oh that's right; you're staying with Jess this weekend," Lorelai said as if she had actually forgotten. She hadn't. "Are you sure you don't want to leave in the morning, hon? If you leave now you'll get there pretty late."

"Don't worry about me, Mommy. I'll be fine, but I really need to go," Rory said. She picked up her bag and her keys and started for the door. "I love you and I'll call you on Sunday."

"Fine. Be careful," Lorelai said before hanging up.

When Rory hung up her phone she stuffed it into her pocket and made her way to her car. She popped open the trunk and threw her bag into it. She sat in the driver's seat and started the car. Before she put it into drive, she put a CD in the player and chose her desired track. Also, she sent Jess a quick text to let him know that she was on her way. When she finally pulled away from the curb, she turned up the volume and she drove on.

-*-*-

She looked at her directions for the last time and sent Jess another text before turning onto his street. She was actually really nervous. The thing with Jess was so new and really fragile. Not to mention, Alex had her freaked out about having sex with him. Plus, she was nervous about meeting his roommates and whoever else would show up throughout the weekend.

She let out a deep breath when she pulled up to Truncheon. Jess was waiting for her in his jeans and a black sweatshirt. She smiled and got out of the car. When they met each other on the passenger side of the car, she threw her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck. He fell back a step and put his arms tightly around her torso, smiling.

"Mm, I missed you," Rory mumbled into his neck. He tightened his grip even more and dropped a light kiss onto the top of her head.

"You too," he said into her hair. He noticed that she was balling her fists in the hood of his sweatshirt and he laughed quietly. "Are you cold?" His voice was teasing. She pulled back from him and moved her hands to his chest, smiling shyly.

"Maybe," she answered before leaning in and kissing him. He rubbed her back and kissed her in return.

"We could go inside," he told her in between kisses. "It's warm in there." She pulled her head back and licked her lips causing a small smile to form on Jess's.

"Let me just grab my stuff," Rory requested. Jess nodded and let his arms drop to his sides. She kissed him again before turning to the back of her car. When she took the bag out, she turned to see Jess standing next to her, reaching for the bag in her hand. "Thank you." He shrugged and reached for her hand. She took it eagerly and pulled herself closer to him.

"Ready?" Jess asked off-handedly.

"I'm actually kind of nervous," Rory admitted with a small voice. Jess turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow and she started talking again before he could. "I just- I just don't want them to hate me. They're important to you." She looked down at her shoes. Jess put her bag on the ground behind him and reached for her other hand.

"Rory, have you ever met anyone that didn't like you?" He asked, stepping closer to her.

"Of course I have," she said defensively, looking up at him.

"Well, you don't have to worry about it here," he told her with a smirk.

"Do they know about me? Like, about us?"

"Yeah, they know some stuff," he said. "It doesn't matter, though. You're here now. They see how you make me happy. The past is what it is. It doesn't matter to them."

"I make you happy?" She asked with a smile. He smiled and looked down, clearly embarrassed. "I do, don't I?" Her voice was playful and he rolled his eyes at her insistence.

In one swift moment his lips were on hers, ending the conversation. She brought her hands to his neck and stood up taller. His hands went to her lower back, holding her to him. She smiled against his lips and pulled back.

"I so do!" Jess just let go of one of her hands and picked up her bag, shaking his head. She continued to smile triumphantly until a group of Jess's friends came out of the store. Rory and Jess stopped in front of them.

"Ah, you must be Rory," said one of his friends. "I'm Chris," he clarified, holding out his hand. She shook it with a smile. "This is Julia." Chris pointed to the woman holding his other hand.

"It's nice to meet you both," Rory answered with a small smile. She looked at one of the other two men. "Matthew, right?"

"You can call me Matt," he said with a nod and a smile. "This is Dylan. He's new. He doesn't talk much."

"Hi, Rory? It's nice to meet you," Dylan said after glaring at Matt.

"You too, Dylan," she said. She could see herself getting along with these people.

"We're heading to the bar," Julia said, pointing down the street. "Once you're settled in, you two should join us."

"Okay," Jess said. "If not, we'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, we'll see you tomorrow," Chris said. To Rory, it sounded almost sexual and from Jess's face contortion she could tell that there was definitely something behind it. "Let's leave these two alone to get _settled_."

Everyone smiled and Rory blushed – thankfully there were no streetlights around. Jess shook his head and let them walk around him and Rory. Without saying anything else, Jess led Rory inside.

"They're not bad people. They're just kind of socially retarded," Jess told her on the way up the stairs. "Especially Chris."

"Don't worry about it. They were fine," Rory said, brushing it off. She was a few steps behind him, being led by his hand. Jess let go of her hand when he reached the apartment's door so that he could open it. He held it open and let her walk in before him.

"It's kind of a mess," he said and closed the door.

"It's not bad. It's a lot bigger than I expected, too," she told him, looking around the open room; dining room, living room, and kitchen in one. She could see a short hallway to her right with open and closed doors.

"Come on," he said, nodding towards the hallway. Rory followed him until they reached on of the open doors. Jess put her bag on the chair to his desk and turned to face Rory. She automatically noticed a few packed boxes.

"What's with those?" She asked, pointing to them.

"Chris is moving out next weekend. He's going to be living with Julia. I'm moving into his room," he explained, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"I hope it's bigger than this," Rory commented. The room was small. It barely fit his furniture, and his closet was wedged open with his clothes.

"It is; that's why I'm taking it," he said. "I was the last to move in so I got the smallest room. Matt's is huge, but he also pays more rent."

She nodded along and bent down in front of the bookcase to where she saw some CDs. She picked one up. "The Honorary Title?" She asked, smiling.

"My guilty pleasure," he explained and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Mine too," she exclaimed before putting it back on the shelf. She sat with him on the edge of the bed.

"Do you want to go meet them at the bar?" Jess asked, lying back on the bed.

"We don't have to," she said, joining him. "I came to see you, not them." She put her head on his shoulder and her arm across his stomach. "I can get to know them later."

"Sounds plenty good to me," he replied smiling. "How was the drive?"

"It wasn't horrible. It was kind of boring and long, but I made it here alive and that's all that matters," she told him.

"Yeah, it's not a fun drive. Sorry it sucked."

"Don't be sorry. I'm here," she said sitting up and smiling. She straddled his hips and leaned down to kiss him.

"You are," he said against her lips and kissed her again. She sat up again looking down at him. He reached up at placed a strand of hair behind her hair and she smiled and grabbed his hand.

"You make me happy, you know?" She asked, letting go of his hand. She took her jacket off and set it down on the bed next to them. "I like talking to you before I go to bed. I like being here with you. I'm happy."

Before answering, Jess sat up to be face to face with her. He said, quietly and slowly, "You make me happy." He cupped her face in his hands before kissing her slowly and passionately. While Rory was kissing him back she thought of something and giggled before pulling away from the kiss and moved her mouth to his ear.

"There goes that street cred," she whispered, still giggling. He let a breath out on her neck before reaching for her sides and tickling her. She thrashed against his body and he pinned her beneath him, still tickling her with a mischievous smirk. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry." She was still laughing when he lay down next to her.

She rested her head on his shoulder and let him put his arm around her. While he was busy playing with the tips of her hair, all she could do was think. She and Jess were alone in Jess's bedroom and he had just won a tickle fight. She didn't go to Philadelphia planning to have sex with him, but it was all that was on her mind. What confused her even more was the fact that Jess seemed completely content looking out his window and playing with her hair in complete silence. He had to have been thinking about it. He said that he loved her and that he had since they were eighteen; he had to have been thinking about it.

When she felt his hand travel down her side and slip under her shirt, barely touching her stomach, she knew that he was thinking about something. His mind was racing. Everything that he ever wanted was lying in bed with him… but they were silent. Being with Rory was never about sex, but it had been on his mind all day and it didn't help that his friends were ragging on him for not sleeping with her yet. He had a feeling that she was thinking about it as well, because when he slipped his hands under her shirt he could hear her breathing hitch and her hand tensed on his thigh. When her breathing returned to normal and her hand relaxed against his pants she asked a breathy question.

"Where's your bathroom?" He turned to look down at her before answering.

"It's the next door on the right," he explained. She smiled up at him and kissed him before playfully jumping off of the bed and grabbing her bag. When she shut the bathroom door behind her, she sat on the floor in front of the toilet and went through the clothes that she had packed. There were the sweatpants—the dreaded sweatpants that Alex would yell at her for choosing—and there were shorts similar to the ones she had worn the weekend before—they were tighter, though, and shorter. She looked at them both thoughtfully, laid out on top of her bag. She bravely chose the shorts and put them on. Along with the shorts, she put on a black wife-beater tank top. If she were at home with Alex she would be wearing exactly the same thing; she just wanted to be comfortable.

She left the bathroom and entered Jess's room to find him in red basketball shorts and no shirt; he was rummaging through his drawers looking for one. She took a quiet breath and put the bag down on his desk chair.

"I've never seen you in shorts before," she told him thoughtfully. He slightly jumped at the sound of her voice and turned to look at her, holding a shirt in his hand. She was smiling, almost laughing, as she sat on the bed, hugging a pillow to her chest. He couldn't help but smirk.

"I don't normally wear shorts," he answered, running his hand through his hair and sitting with Rory on the bed, wringing the shirt in his hands. "Just when I sleep."

"Well, your legs are very tone," she complimented with a toothy smile.

"As are yours," he said, glancing at them quickly. He decided that he wasn't going to wear his shirt. After all, if Rory wasn't there he wouldn't be wearing his shirt. He was only going to put it on for her benefit, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, he was sure that he saw her taking in his bare chest and stomach.

"Seriously, though, do you work out?" She asked now. Yes, she had been looking.

"I run sometimes, but other than that no," he answered and dropped his shirt next to the bed on top of a half open box. "Why do you ask?"

"Your whole body is toned. I've never realized it before." She was almost blushing when she said this; her cheeks were warm, but there was no color yet. There would be if they kept talking about it. Of course Jess knew that, so he continued the conversation; he loved watching her blush.

"Do you like it?" He asked; his tone was playful.

"I mean, it's okay," she answered and now there was a slight pink shade showing. "I wouldn't kick you out of bed." She decided to be brave, but her cheeks were getting redder by the second.

He smirked, running his hand down her bare arm. "That's good," he said with a rough voice, "Because this is my bed."

Her face split into a huge grin. This boy did crazy things to her and she loved every minute of it. She put her hand on his neck and kissed him. His hand found her waist and pulled her body closer to his. He adjusted himself so that he was resting halfway on top of her; one of his legs tucked between hers.

"It's a good thing that you decided to stay in here with me tonight," he said between kisses.

"Oh, yeah; why?" she asked, also between kisses. He pulled back and looked at her body appreciatively.

"I wouldn't want the guys to come in and see you like that. I don't like sharing," he told her. She shook her head and smiled.

"I wouldn't want to share you either," her voice was quiet and raw; it was driving him insane. He ran his hand underneath her shirt again, but let it travel more until it was just under her breast. He moved it to the side of her body, causing her shirt to ride up and display her stomach. He leaned in and kissed it once, feeling her tense under the touch of his lips. The next kiss was an open mouth one and she arched into him and raked her fingers across his shoulders. He looked at her again and his eyes were so dark that she gasped at their intensity.

She ran her hand down his face, down his neck and then down his chest. He tensed when she dragged her fingernails down his stomach and she could tell that her eyes had gone from bright blue to dark, mirroring his. He bent his head into the crook of his neck and kissed her. She put her arms around his waist and pulled him closer. He moved his hand, leaving her stomach naked still, and cupped the right side of her neck, holding her to him, and continued attacking it. Her fingernails were digging into his back and he could tell that she wanted more, but at the same time he didn't want to assume that she wanted more than she actually did, so he continued.

She tried hinting to him that he was going too slowly, that she felt an absolute need for him. He wasn't acting on it, so she had to make the first move. When he took a breath and removed himself from her neck, she nudged him with her knee and he backed off, confused. She smiled slightly and pulled off her tank top before reaching for his waist and pulling him to her again. As soon as his mouth was on hers, he licked hers and she allowed him to fight his way into her mouth. His hands took advantage of her bare upper-half. Skin on skin, his hand roaming the sides of her body.

She moved her arms farther down his body and stopped when she felt the fabric of his shorts. She pulled them down tentatively as if she was asking for permission now. As he continued kissing her, he pushed her hands away and pulled them off himself, kicking them to the floor. His hands moved to her shorts and took them off as well. She pulled him back to lie on top of her and he cupped her face with one of his hands while the other continued disrobing her bottom half. Soon they were both naked and he pulled the blanket cover to cover them.

"Rory, are you sure?" He asked even though he felt it was too late. She giggled nervously and nodded.

"You could say that," her voice was the same tone as before. Even if her words didn't say yes, the sound of her voice would have been enough. Despite his nerves he kissed her more passionately than he had ever kissed her before. It may have been the most passionate kiss she had shared with anyone; there was emotion and tension and release that had been building since they first met.

The fact that Jess had always been the best kisser could have been a clue that he would also make the best lover, but it was better than either of them had imagined. They had imagined it a lot of times, too. He was lying behind her, kissing her shoulder, and they were both sweating and trying to catch their breath. She couldn't contain her smile, but his rough voice brought her back to reality.

"You have a cluster of freckles on your left shoulder," he said and without looking she knew that he was smiling. She reached behind her and grabbed his hand and held it against her stomach.

"I know, it's one of the only places that I have any freckles," she explained. He nodded his head against her shoulder and kissed it one last time. She rolled over onto her back and took in her surroundings and gasped. "Oh my god, your door was open the whole time!" She said and pulled the blanket over her face.

"Relax, no one even came in," he said laughing. He leaned down and kissed her quickly before rolling over and finding his shorts. "I'll close it." He pulled them on and walked through the door, pulling it shut behind him.

Rory found her underwear and her shorts and put them on. As Jess was walking back into his room with two water bottles, she pulled on the sweatshirt that he had been wearing earlier. He joined her on the bed and handed her a water bottled and rested his head against the wall behind them.

"I could get used to this," she told him. She rested her head against his chest and trailed her fingers in lazy circles on his stomach. He put his water on his nightstand before putting his arm around her shoulders. He breathed out a laugh, almost nervously.

"I could definitely get used to this," he told her and kissed the crown of her head. She looked up at him and smiled. He returned the smile and brushed away a piece of hair from her forehead. She started twirling her unopened water bottle in her hand while Jess zoned out on its movements.

"Hey Jess?" She asked all of a sudden. He shook out of his trance and looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

"I just- I want you to know- It's not like- I didn't come here expecting this," she spat out and sat up to look at him. "I mean, I wanted it to happen and I'm glad that it did, but I wasn't planning it and it's a big deal. It's you, you know?" He nodded and smiled a crooked smile.

"It is a big deal; you and me. It's always been a huge thing," he agreed and she nodded.

"I used to think that you would be my first and after you weren't I didn't think it would ever happen with us," she told him and he reached for her hand, massaging her knuckles with his thumb. "I'm really that I'm here with you."

"I'm happy you're here, too," he assured her. She kissed him shyly and snuggled into his chest again.


	7. Hey Beautiful

**AN: I hate me, too. I have no excuses. I got caught up in the summer. I am so sorry that this took so long. I'll be updating soon, I promise. Please review even though I suck.  
**

**The title is Hey Beautiful which is a song by The Solids.  
**

They were in his living room alone. Rory was sitting in the far corner of the couch reading a book. Jess's head was resting in her lap as he was lying down, typing on his laptop. Her free hand was running through his hair and if he weren't concentrated on the review he was writing for the next issue of the zine, he would have been close to sleep. He had never felt so comfortable and content in his life. He knew that the night before had changed everything, but he wasn't afraid of the new intensity of their relationship. It was something that he had always wanted. They weren't teenagers anymore; they were in an adult relationship and the differences were positively evident.

With her hand in his hair, Rory was having a hard time turning the pages of her book, but she was managing. At some point, though, the turning of pages became a sort of habit; she had stopped reading the words. She was focusing on the man whose head was resting in her lap. If you had asked her two weeks earlier where she would be on this particular day, she never would have said Philadelphia and Jess never would have been part of the equation. She couldn't be happier, though. She never felt the way she felt with Jess when she was with Dean or Logan or Hugh or Jeremy; none of them left a lasting impression on her like Jess did. She really thought it to be impossible that anyone ever could. All of a sudden the silence of the apartment caught her interest.

"Where are your roommates? They haven't been around all morning," she asked, lying the book face down on the armrest. Jess stopped typing and bent his head back to look up at her.

"Chris is probably at Julia's or downstairs catching up on work. Matt's probably still asleep," he explained.

"Oh, I was just wondering," she told him.

"I'm really sorry that you have to sit here and watch me write this, but the guys kind of threw it at me last night; they're both swamped with their own stuff," he apologized. She ran her fingers through his hair again.

"Jess, I don't mind. You have a job, I understand," she told him before leaning down and feathering a couple of kisses on his forehead.

"We can do whatever you want when I'm done. It shouldn't be much longer, only a hundred words or so," he told her and she smiled.

"I want to spend time with your roommates before I leave," she told him. "I know that they're a big part of your life and you know all of my friends."

"We can have dinner with them tonight if you want. I think Dylan's coming over, too," he told her.

"Okay. Maybe when you're done with work we can get some coffee and you can show me around Philly?"

"We can do that," he assured her and she picked her book up again. He waited a few seconds to make sure she had no more questions or comments before finishing his review; he knew how she could carry on a conversation. She flipped a few pages back and read over the words using Jess's typing as a soundtrack to the story. He saved his work and closed the laptop before sitting up.

"I'm going to take a really quick shower before we leave," he told her and she nodded.

"I'll just read while you're in there," she smiled up at him as he stood in front of her. He leaned down and kissed her quickly before turning towards the bathroom. Rory jumped at the sound of the slamming door, but continued reading immediately. She threw her legs on the couch and relaxed until she heard another door down the hall open up. She glanced around her novel and saw Matthew pulling on a t-shirt and heading towards the living room. She put her book down and waited for him to notice her. When he did, he fell back a step, surprised in his half-awake state.

"G'morning," he mumbled, scratching his head. Rory smiled.

"Morning," she returned. She moved her legs ands watched as he threw himself onto the opposite end. "Rough night?"

"Friday nights are always rough," he corrected, smiling. "Where's Jess at?"

"He's in the shower. We're going sightseeing in a little while," she explained and Matthew nodded appreciatively.

"I don't think that Jess knows any of the sights; he's a pretty simple being and he likes his order," he explained. "He's either in the apartment, the store, the bar, the grocery store, or on the road looking for new authors. I can't remember him spending any time in the actual city."

"Looks like I'll need a guidebook, then," Rory decided. "Where should we go first?"

"There's the Liberty Bell, museums, shopping on Locust Street, and you have to get a cheese steak," he told her, counting things off on his fingers. "Oh, and if you're out later tonight you should try and catch a show at the Khyber."

"That all sounds perfect, but what's the Khyber?" She asked.

"It's this little bar in Old City that these great bands love to play at," he explained, sitting up and getting excited. "Jess and I saw Broken Social Scene there not too long ago."

"I love them," Rory exclaimed, turning to face him.

"So does Jess," Matthew said, smiling slightly. "I can see why he's been pining for you all of these years."

Rory looked down at her lap and smiled shyly, her cheeks turning bright red and Matthew chuckled slightly before getting up from the couch and going to the kitchen. She heard him looking through the cabinets for something and then heard the clang of a bowl being set down and a box of cereal being rattled. When the box was set down and the noises stopped, she turned to look at him. He was resting against the counter and looking back at her. He started to say something and then stopped. This happened at least two times before Rory sat on her knees and looked at him over the back of the couch.

"What's wrong?" She asked nervously. The fact that she didn't really know Matthew had her worried; it looked like he was nervous about whatever he wanted to say.

"I don't want to sound like an asshole when I say this…" he started. He turned his back to her and started to pour his cereal into the bowl.

"Okay? What's up?" Now she was confused. He looked at her quickly and then turned back to what he was doing.

"If you're going to hurt him again then you should probably do it sooner rather than later. He took it really badly the last time he saw you and it really sucked for him. Just, you know, as his best friend, I'm doing my job and pulling the 'you hurt him, you die' card."

"Oh," she said, stunned. It literally felt like someone had punched her in the gut. She knew that if Lane had spent anytime with him she would've said the same thing to Jess, but still. She also knew that it was completely justified considering that Matthew was there when she left Philadelphia and he knew better than she did.

"Please, don't take this the wrong way. I like you and the other guys will like you, Jess loves you. I have no doubt in my mind that you care about him, but you broke him. I know that he broke you once, but he never stopped loving you. Please, don't break him again," Matthew said. He grabbed the milk out of the fridge, poured it in and finally turned back to look at Rory.

"I don't plan on hurting him, Matt. Thank you for telling me this, though, I guess," she said. He watched as she sat down on top of her legs and he decided to sit down next to her. "Is he afraid that I'm going to hurt him?"

"Jess doesn't talk about that kind of stuff unless he's drunk so, I wouldn't know," he explained, slurping his cereal as Rory moved to sit correctly on the couch.

"I think I love him," she whispered and Matthew coughed into his cereal.

"I can't know that before he does. I don't like secrets," he said, getting nervous. His door opened down the hall and a leggy blonde came towards them in a long sweatshirt and tube socks that were too big for her.

"Every time I sleep here I forget that you have hardwood floors and my feet freeze," the blonde said, talking to Matthew. She noticed Rory sitting on the other side of the couch. "Oh, I'm Morgan; a friend of Matthew's."

"I'm Jess's girlfriend, Rory," Rory told her, smiling slightly.

"That's a weird name. I thought that Jess's girlfriend's name was Julie," Morgan answered, shifting her weight to her left foot.

"No, Morgan. Juli_a_ is Chris's girlfriend," Matthew explained, shaking his head in disbelief. "How about you go get dressed and I'll walk you home?"

"Whatever," Morgan said as she turned her back to them and walked back down the hallway.

"Girlfriend?" Rory asked, trying to contain her laughter.

"No, absolutely not. She's an old friend and we sometimes sleep together," he explained, smiling triumphantly. "She's a peach, isn't she?"

"Oh yeah," Rory agreed, smiling in return. Matthew got up from the couch and put his bowl – half-full of cereal – into the sink before walking back to his bedroom. Rory shook her head, laughing silently. She sat silently mulling over her conversation with Matthew. She had to give him credit for speaking up like that. It's the kind of thing that Jess wouldn't like if he knew about it. She was happy that he had friends who cared enough to defend him and his feelings. She had never known a Jess with friends, but she liked it.

Jess walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and Rory walked down the hall to stop him before he reached his bedroom door. She cut him off and stood tall to stop him. He smirked slightly and stopped. "What's up, Ror?"

Without answering, Rory put her hands on either side of his face and pulled herself closer to his body, kissing him deeply. It caught him off guard, but he recovered and put his arms around her waist, completely closing the gap between their bodies. They kissed a few more times until they heard Matthew's door open behind them. Jess turned to look and saw Matthew and Morgan staring awkwardly at the two of them; he nodded with a nervous smirk.

"Nice dude," Matthew said before grabbing Morgan's hand and pulling her out of the apartment.

"What was that for?" Jess asked, rubbing the sides of her stomach and leaning his forehead against hers.

"No reason," she answered and kissed him softly one last time, rubbing the back of his neck. "You can get dressed; I'll be in the living room." Jess nodded and walked into his room once they had detached themselves from each other.

~*~*~

"Do you want some coffee?" Jess asked as the two of them turned the corner onto Jess's street. Rory had a bag full of cheap souvenirs that she knew Lorelai and Alex would love. Jess's arm was around her waist and her free thumb was hooked into the belt loops on the back of his pants.

"Is that even a question worth answering?" She asked back, smiling a toothy smile. He rolled his eyes at her roundabout answer and kissed the side of her head.

"Right, what was I thinking?"

"I guess you weren't."

Rory and Jess had always had communication issues in their relationship, but, at the same time, they knew how to keep up their loving teasing. This time around, though, they hadn't spent enough time as a couple to have the same issues they did the first time around. Not to mention, since the night before had been such a big step for the two of them, they were still living in the moment, completely happy. Rory didn't want to ask him about his past relationships even though she really wanted to know what he had been up to since they were last together. Jess didn't want to bring up Dean or Logan or anyone else that she may have slept with. He wanted to know, but he didn't want to ruin what they had going on. He was happy and that was rare.

"I won't be able to come to Boston this weekend until Saturday," Jess said suddenly. "If you want me to come down at all, that is."

Rory smiled softly to herself before turning to look at Jess. "Of course I want you to come. You can come on Saturday, whenever you want. Why not Friday?" She asked.

"Chris is moving out and I need to help him and start moving my things into his room," he explained, rubbing her side softly.

"Do you think that you could stay until Monday morning? You could join Alex and me for Sunday night movies," she suggested. "I could have him invite Kurt, like a double date."

"I can swing that," he answered, chuckling.

"Good, because I don't want to miss spending any time with you," Rory said, softly. She kissed his shoulder lightly and he kissed the crown of her head.

"The distance thing doesn't need to become any harder than it already is," he agreed and directed her into a small café a few doors down from Truncheon.

"I don't want to say this, but it's going to get harder every time one of us has to leave the other. I'm already dreading having to get into my car tomorrow afternoon," she told him sadly.

"We'll deal with it then. I don't want to think about it until I have to. I don't want to see you drive away," he told her as he slid his arm from her waist and reached into his pockets for rumpled bills. He looked to the barista, "I'll have a large coffee, just sugar." Then he looked at Rory so that she could order.

"Can I have a medium coffee with extra sugar, please?" She asked politely.

"Is this together?" The bored teenage girl asked from behind the counter.

"Yes," Jess answered before straightening out his money and handing it to her. They both waited quietly for their drinks to be handed to them. Rory smiled when she was handed her cup and reached for a coffee collar before turning away. She waited for Jess by the door and reached for his hand when he came closer. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly before opening the door with his foot.

"You still taste like that steak and cheese," she joked when they reached the sidewalk. Jess chuckled and sipped his coffee.

"I wouldn't be talking," he joked as he placed a hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her down the sidewalk.

"Oh, you're so cute. No wonder I keep you around," Rory teased. Jess took her hand and pulled her against the wall of Truncheon. He kissed her slowly, drawing out a quiet moan from her lips. "I keep you for that, too."

"Huh," he replied, kissing her again, laughing into the kiss. "Want to go upstairs and see if the guys are around?"

"I would love to," she answered and waited for him to lead the way. They sipped their coffees through Truncheon where Chris was sitting alone, typing away.

"Hey guys," he said, suddenly. Jess and Rory stopped walking. "Jess, I just finished the zine for this month. It can go to print on Monday."

"Sounds good," Jess answered, counting the days out in his head. "You're going to be home for dinner tonight, right? I figured I'd get pizza or Chinese, maybe cook."

"I'll definitely be there; Julia might show up at some point, too," Chris answered as he organized the papers on his desk. He stood up and pushed his chair in. "I have to go out for a while, but I'll see you at dinner." Jess nodded and Rory nodded with a smile.

As soon as Chris was gone, the two started u the stairs toward Jess's apartment. They walked into the apartment and Jess put Rory's bag on the floor near the door and called out Matt's name. There was no answer. He smiled slightly and pulled Rory towards the couch, placing their coffees onto the coffee table before lying down and pulling her on top of him.

"We have the whole apartment to ourselves," he whispered before leaning his head forward and kissing her gently. She smiled into his kiss. "What?" he asked as he pulled away.

"I feel like we should be expecting Luke to barge through the door in ten minute increments," she laughed and buried her head into the crook of his neck. She could feel his slight chuckle throughout his entire body.

"We're big kids now, Rory. There's no chance that Luke will be showing his face in my apartment," Jess told her. Rory nodded into his neck before shifting her body to lie next to him. She put her leg over his and hugged his torso while kissing his cheek.

"No Luke, but you do have roommates," she reminded him. That didn't stop her, however, from kissing his neck. It didn't stop him from slipping his hands underneath her shirt. Their magnetic force was stronger than any feeling either had ever felt. There was something about the two of them that made it impossible for them to deny the other. Ever since Jess first walked into her bedroom when they were in high school, there was something that always led them back to each other and there was usually something or someone standing in their way. Let it be Dean, Logan, school, their past, there was always something. Maybe they were lucky enough this time around that Rory and Jess could just skip the bullshit and let things happen.

He was now hoisted over her on the couch and he was attacking her lips with his own. She responded immediately, kissing him back strongly. She felt like he could taste every part of her, every part of their past, and everything that made her who she was. She hoped that what she tasted was the real Jess; that he was opening himself up to her like he had never done before. If that were the case, and at that very moment she believed it was, then she was justified in what was said between their heated kisses, their rough, loving touches, and their feverish bodies.

"I love you."


	8. Everytime I Look For You

**AN: It took a long time again. Sorry. I'm not making any more promises because I feel bad if I break them. This chapter is full of fluff, much like the rest of the story. Don't get too used to it, though. Within the next few chapters there will be some drama and then there will be more fluff. Everything will work itself out. Please review the story, it really does make me want to update and get more chapters out to you.**

**This chapter is titled Everytime I Look For You and it's a song by blink-182.  
**

Jess let a soft breath onto her lips before laying his head on her shoulder. Rory rubbed the side of his head softly and rested her hand on his cheek. It was exactly what he had wanted to hear, but it still took him by surprise. He had been waiting for years, even when he should have given up hope. Now he was happy that he hadn't. Rory Gilmore had just told Jess Mariano that she loved him for the first time and he couldn't even find the right words to respond. There were no words that could possibly describe or explain how much he loved her.

She was scared. He was unbearably silent and it worried her. She found it strange that someone like Jess could tell her he loved her and yet he was silenced the second she told him the very same thing. She was expecting a response, a deep kiss, a sexual joke, a comment, anything. She wasn't prepared for this and she was afraid that the words were said too soon, or that he didn't like the timing, or that he didn't believe her.

"I'm in love with you, Jess," she elaborated, hoping for something to come from him.

"I love you, too," he told her, finally looking into her eyes. He didn't know why he had to hear it quite like that, but once he had, he was saved. If it were possible that Rory was in love with him, then anything was possible and he felt like anything could happen.

Jess wasn't crying, but there was something so raw and so real in his eyes that Rory had never seen before; from him or from anyone. The kiss that they had shared just moments earlier was very similar to the look that they were sharing; they were opening themselves up to each other, Rory and Jess as one. After a few moments longer, she smiled shyly before closing the gap between them and kissing him softly. She lightly bit his bottom lip and he responded by kissing her harder and stronger than he had ever done before. She put her arms around his neck and pulled herself as close as physically possible.

Jess jumped slightly when he heard a door slam down the hall from the living room. He let out a soft chuckle as Rory untangled her body from his. She shook her head with a knowing smile.

"I told you," she whispered. Matt finally entered the living room, with earphones in and his gym clothes on. He nodded at them as he grabbed a water bottle from the fridge.

"He's just going for a run," Jess said, wiping his hand down his face. Rory smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. He laid his head onto hers.

Matt walked out of the room and they could hear him descending the steps. "I do, though. Love you," she reminded Jess.

He nodded against her head. "I know. I love you, too." He sat up and kissed her sweetly.

"This is a big deal for us," she told him as she swung her body onto the couch and folded her legs, looking at him. Jess sat on one of his legs while the other hung off the side and looked directly at her. "The two of us feeling the same things at the same time; that's never really happened before."

"No, I guess it really hasn't," he agreed. His hand found hers on the couch and he rubbed small, light circles onto her palm with his thumb. "I don't think I mind it." He sounded so casual, and yet his words were so much more than that. Rory wanted to wring his perfectly calm neck because she was freaking out.

"I don't mind being in love with you, either; or having you love me," she said, taking her hand from his. He looked up at her, smirking, and kissed her quickly.

"I should make dinner before anyone else come through the apartment. We'll continue this later," he said, kissing her again, passionately. She smiled when he pulled away to walk to the kitchen.

He started to prepare the meal for the night, taking out pots, pans, and ingredients. Rory watched him for a few minutes, marveling at how he moved in the kitchen. She never knew that he could cook, let alone without any sort of direction. When he paused to pull off his sweatshirt, she watched his t-shirt ride up, showing the bottom of his back; tan and muscular. She fell flat on the couch in pure joy, causing Jess to turn and look in her direction. She turned on her side, to face his bedroom door and Jess turned back to his stove, shaking his head with a smile.

Rory rolled off of the couch, onto her feet. "I'll be back in a second," she told him, and he nodded, distracted by the task at hand. She walked into his bedroom, digging through her pile of clothes next to a box of books, next to his bed. Her sweater that she had worn out with Jess was too warm for the apartment while Jess was cooking. She pulled out a red, three-quarter sleeved ribbed shirt and changed quickly. She stood up, hands on her hips, and looked around his room for real. The desk in the corner, underneath the window was littered with mail and notebook paper. His boxes were filled with books, and there was a bookcase, half assembled in front of his closet door. His dresser was overflowing with t-shirts and button downs. There were sweatshirts and jeans on the chair in another corner. She smiled at his mess, but she knew how Jess's room was in Stars Hollow and it was ten times worse than his current room.

Her phone vibrated in her back pocket and she smiled when she pulled it out and looked at the caller id; it was Alex. Before answering, she sat down on his unmade bed, curling her legs in his comforter.

"Alex!" She exclaimed into the phone.

"Sweets from Heaven, I'm ready for you to come home," Alex sighed into the phone.

"Alex, I've been gone less than a day. I can't come home; I'm having too much of a good time," she said suggestively.

"Oh my gosh, you're a dirty slut," Alex said, smiling into the phone. "How was he?"

"Alex, he was better than all of the other men I have slept with… combined. It was worth the agonizing wait since I was seventeen," Rory gushed, lightly kicking her legs. "You would be proud of me, I haven't touched my sweatpants."

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, I am so, incredibly happy for you and your fifth conquest," Alex remarked.

"Listen, ma'am, I have morals, unlike _some _people. This isn't about my number. Plus, I have more things to tell you," she told him, silencing him. "I told him that I loved him."

"Oh wow, this has been the most eventful twenty-four hours of your life, huh?" Alex asked. "When did you tell him this?"

"I don't know, ten minutes ago?" She estimated. She could hear Alex let out yet another sigh.

"Why, then, are you on the phone with me and not having the best I-Love-You-Sex ever?" Alex asked, incredulously.

"Well, we were headed down that exit a few minutes ago, but we were still in the living room and one of his roommates walked in while we were making out. He's cooking dinner now; I just came into his room to change. Then you called, and here we are," Rory explained, falling deeper into Jess's pillows. She could hear him moving around in the kitchen and she smiled into her phone.

"You better come home tomorrow and tell me all about the I-Love-You-Sex, you little harlot," Alex said before they said goodbye and hung up the phone

She could hear Jess open the oven door and then shut it again. She then heard him set the timer before he walked down the hall and into his bedroom, still holding the timer. He closed the door behind him, put the timer on his nightstand and got into his bed next to Rory.

"What're you doing in here?" He asked, turning onto his side so that he was looking down at her.

"I changed my shirt and then Alex called and then this relatively good looking man walked in and interrupted my solemnity," she said, smiling up at him. She rolled onto her side, mirroring her body to his. They immediately tangled their legs together and Jess put his hand on her waist.

"Say what you will, but you're lying in my bed and your shirt is extremely low cut," Jess joked, glancing quickly down at her shirt. She smiled again and rubbed his cheek with her hand, kissing him softly. "Don't get any ideas, though, that timer is going to go off in a matter of minutes and I've already texted the guys to let them know when it will be ready."

"Are you seriously telling me that you don't want to have sex with me?"

Jess pulled himself closer to her, smirking. "I have never _not_ wanted to have sex with you," he told her. Rory rolled onto her back, pulling Jess to lie slightly on top of her. "I just don't want this particular time to be interrupted by anything or anyone. We both agreed how big of a deal today was."

"I guess that makes sense," she agreed softly. "I wish that we could live like this all of the time."

"How do you mean?" He asked. His face was in the crook of her neck, his lips resting on her collarbone. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest. Her hand was running through his hair and his hand was around her waist.

"I just wish that we could spend lazy days like this all of the time; lying in bed, waiting for dinner to be ready together. But Sundays will always come and we'll always have to get back to our other lives that are lived separately," she explained. She could feel him nod into her neck.

"The two separate cities thing sucks, but we're going to make it work," he mumbled, assuring her. He wanted her to be happy, and the distance thing did suck, but it had to be enough to get their relationship started up again. "Just think, if we did it everyday, we would start resenting this kind of thing."

"It's no wonder that you're an author," she said quietly, mumbling into his forehead.

"I wouldn't mind falling asleep like this every night, though," he told her, tightening his arm around her waist. "With you."

"We're not falling asleep, Romeo. We're waiting for your friends and for dinner to be ready," she reminded him. "We get to fall asleep a completely different way later on tonight after all of the festivities."

"Ah, yes," Jess agreed.

"Speaking of dinner, I didn't know that you could even cook. Have you always known how to cook?" Rory asked, causing Jess to lay his head flat on her shoulder so that he could speak.

"Well, my mom never cooked for me when I was growing up and I had to eat, so I would figure it out on my own. Then, when I went to live with Luke, all he knew how to do was cook. I picked some things up from him."

"Wow, Mom and I are two very lucky women," she told him. He rolled over onto his back so that he was lying next to her. She turned her head to the side so that she could look at him.

Jess was just about to retort, but he heard the front door slam and the timer go off right after. "We should get out there. I need to take the lasagnas out," he told her as he steeped out of bed. Rory joined him and pulled her shirt over her hips, to flatten out the wrinkles, before walking out the door behind him.

When they had reached the living room, they could see Chris, Dylan, and Julia setting the table and getting beers out for themselves.

"Hey!" Chris announced when he noticed Rory and Jess. "You two want something to drink?"

"I'll have a beer," Jess told him as he walked to the oven and pulled the lasagna out with a dishtowel.

"I'll have the same," Rory told Chris. "Can I help you with anything?"

"No thanks, we're just about done. Sit down," Julia said with a smile. She sat in the chair that Julia was pointing to. Jess put the food in the middle of the table, grabbed his beer and popped it open.

He sat down next to Rory and across from Dylan, leaving Chris and Julia to sit next to Dylan and a chair for Matt next to him. "Matt should be back from his run soon. We can start without him," he told the table.

"We usually do," Julia said. "Maybe id he didn't choose the absolute worst times to go running."

"It's Matthew," Dylan reasoned. "You have to expect it from him. Chances are he won't even eat, he'll just come home with some girl he met in the park."

"Well, at least he's getting some," Jess said pointedly causing Dylan to laugh sarcastically.

"We've talked about this, Mariano; I am on a female hiatus. I need some space and some time," he explained before downing a chug of beer. Rory and Julia shook their heads and smiled. Jess and Chris laughed out loud.

A few minutes later Matthew walked into the door and threw his iPod into the couch before joining the group at the table. "God, Matt, you could at least shower before you sit down at the dinner table," Julia said when Matthew sat across from her. He smiled at her and looked around the table.

"Rory and I have already formed a friendship, I'm not trying to impress anybody," he told them and Rory hid her laugh with a sip of beer.

"No, Matt, you don't need to impress me. You've already done plenty to win me over," she told him truthfully.

"See?"

The table just laughed and continued eating. They did more than enough to include Rory in the conversations and by the end of the meal she felt like she could really fit in with Jess's friends. She really enjoyed the fact that Jess was so comfortable with her and his friends at the same time. When he was a teenager he was such a loner; now he had this huge other part of his life filled with people that he cared about and who cared about him. There was still some of the Jess she had fallen in love with once before, but there was so much more to him this time around.

"So, we've been telling Jess to let us come with him to Stars Hollow because it sounds like the perfect little town," Julia told Rory after dinner was done and they were washing the dishes while the boys had a quick meeting in the office.

"It's not perfect by any means, but it's home and I love it. Jess hates it, but he always has," Rory told her as she put the baking dish into the drying rack. "You should come and experience it, at least. My mom owns an Inn in town and it's gorgeous and I'll get you a great deal. The people in town are absolutely crazy, including my mom, but it wouldn't be Stars Hollow without them, you know?"

"I'm going to hold you to that," Julia threatened lightly. "I'd love to see Jess and Chris in a place like that."

"How long have you and Chris been together?" Rory asked suddenly. Julia smiled before answering.

"In two weeks, it'll be six years," she told her as they finished the last of the dishes. Julia grabbed two more beers from the fridge, gave one to Rory and led the way to the couch.

"That's an entire first grader," Rory said, sitting down. Julia giggled with a nod.

"Chris is a little rough around the edges, but we've really grown up with each other and I'm not even close to being sick of him. I can't imagine my life without him. It's only taken us this long to move in with each other because of Truncheon and he didn't want to leave Jess and Matthew without a third roommate. Once the business was finally settled and Dylan had fallen into the group, we knew we had to do it and there was no discussion."

"Wow," Rory said before taking a long sip of beer.

After a beat, Julia said, "Jess is a great guy, Rory. He's one of my best friends and Truncheon wouldn't be anywhere near where it is without him. He's really something special. I know that you two have been through a lot, but it really seems like it's worth it. He's really in love with you."

"I'm really in love with him. It just took me a while to figure it out." The two girls sat quietly sipping their beers after Rory's confession. They heard footsteps outside coming up the stairs outside of the door and watched as the four men walked through the door, laughing at something. Jess looked up and smiled at Rory. Julia got up from the couch, threw out her empty bottle and met Chris by the door.

"We're going to head out, but I'll be back in the morning," Chris announced. "Bye, Rory."

"Bye, Chris. And it was really nice talking to you, Julia," Rory said as she stood from the couch next to Jess. Dylan and Matt were now sitting in the living room, getting ready to play videogames. Jess nodded toward his bedroom, and Rory put her beer on the coffee table before following him.

He closed the door behind her and started changing into his shorts. She followed suit and dug through her bad before getting dressed into a getup that was similar to the one she had worn the night before. He sat on the bed, waiting for her to join him.

"I like your friends," she told him, as she climbed into bed next to him.

"They like you, too; Matt and Julia especially. You seemed to really hit it off with them," he told her as he turned onto his side. She turned onto her side as well, so that she was facing him.

"Julia is really nice and easy to talk to. Matt and I hung out while you were in the shower this morning, so we got to know each other," she explained. He nodded silently. He reached for her face and put a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead lightly. He loved the fact that she felt comfortable with his friends. She leaned into his kiss before he pulled back and put his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him.

"So, what did you and Matt talk about?" He asked, rubbing her back.

"We talked about you," she explained. "I told him how I thought I was in love with you."

"You know now?" Jess asked; his eyes were serious.

"I know now," Rory assured him. She put her hand on his neck and kissed him passionately. He reciprocated, and pulled her closer again. She moaned into the kiss, rolled onto her back and pulled him with her. She was drowning in happiness, in love. Being with Jess made her feel like she was on top of the world, and she could tell, just from the passion in his kiss and his sensual touch, that he felt similarly.

Being together was easy for them, unlike the first night in Boston. They didn't have to fight their feelings, they were free to touch the other person and not have it be awkward, and they could be honest about their feelings. They still had a lot to share with each other to cover the past few years, but their relationship was too new and too fragile to bring up their past relationships and the hardships they've come across. They were doing really well just being happy with each other. Plus, the sex was amazing.

Rory smiled at Jess. They were under his covers, sweating and smiling. Her hands were on his chest, his were on her hips. They're faces were inches apart and she could feel his breath on her face. She leaned closer and kissed him softly and his hands tightened on her hips, holding her to him until she pulled her head back. She snuggled in, closer to him and kissed his shoulder.

"I swear your body was made to fit around mine," she told him quietly. He chuckled and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Man, we are the poster for cheesy couples."

"Yeah, it's disgusting," Jess agreed, but he was smiling at her. "Even though, you're the one supplying all the cheese."

"And you supply the whine," she told him, cracking herself up. She turned onto her back, still laughing and catching her breath. "Oh wow. I slay myself."

"You're a dork," he told her gently, moving to cover her body with his. He kissed her on the nose before moving to her mouth.


	9. In My Arms

**AN: I suck, I know. I suck so so so much. I do apologize. Here it is, the next chapter. I hope you like it, it's really just a filler, though. More important chapters are coming up, but I knew that I had to give you guys something.**

**The chapter is called _In My Arms_ and it's a song by Plumb**

"Paris, I didn't know that you were coming over. I thought that we had plans to have dinner next week," Rory said when she opened the front door, expecting to see Jess. Paris smiled, and in typical Paris fashion, pushed right past Rory into the apartment.

"I was in the neighborhood and I don't want to go to my apartment. Doyle's trying to feed me escargot and I just won't have that," she explained, taking a look around Rory's apartment. "Where's Alex? He was supposed to paint me something for our living room."

"He's working and then he's staying at his boyfriend's place tonight," Rory explained, sitting on the couch shortly followed by Paris sitting next to her. "He's leaving the apartment to me for the night."

"Why, do you have a strong urge to do nineteen loads of laundry in Mr. Peanut pajamas?" Paris asked sarcastically. Rory couldn't help but burst out laughing, causing Paris to stare at her with a terrified look.

Once she regained her composure, Rory explained, "No, but he didn't want to scare my guest away. He wanted me to have some time alone with him."

"Gilmore, who are you sleeping with?!" Paris practically yelled.

"Jess," Rory said with a small laugh. "That's why what you said was so funny to me."

"Oh my god, this guy again? You and him have serious issues," Paris told her, critically.

"We're adults now, we're both single, we're in love. The only thing that makes it hard is the fact that I'm here and he's in Philadelphia," She explained, making Paris understand that what she and Jess had was, in fact, the real deal.

"How did this happen and why didn't I know about it?" Paris asked, sounding slightly hurt.

Rory went over everything, from the night they found each other at the bar, to the book signing, to the hotel fiasco, to the weekend in Stars Hollow, finally to the weekend in Philadelphia. Paris listened in complete disbelief; she knew the Rory and Jess saga from beginning to end and she never thought that they would come back to each other after they had both grown so much and hurt each other so much.

"I was going to tell you at dinner," Rory added. "I wouldn't know how to call you and try to be casual about it."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense," Paris conceded. A knock at the door pulled their attention elsewhere and Rory immediately perked up.

She jumped from the couch and ran to the door, while Paris stood slowly, getting ready to leave. She didn't want to impose. As soon as Rory had ripped open the door, her arms were around his necks and his lips were descending onto hers. After a few seconds, Rory remembered that they weren't alone and pulled back, turning to look at Paris.

"Jess, you remember Paris, right?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, how are you?" He asked, stepping around Rory so that he was standing in front of Paris.

"I'm great, but I should get heading home. My boyfriend doesn't like it when I'm late," she said, walking past the both of them and towards the front door. "I'll see you on Tuesday, Rory."

Rory watched Paris walk through the door and close it behind her before turning to look at Jess. "I'm sorry about her."

"Why does she hate me?" He asked, walking closer to her.

"She doesn't. Don't let her scare you," Rory joked, also walking closer, closing the gap between them. She put her arms around his neck again, kissing him strongly.

"You're great at the segue, Ror," Jess joked between kisses. He brought them both to the couch and sat down, pulling her next to him. He kissed her back before standing from the couch and away from her. "I forgot my stuff in the car. I'll be right back."

He left her sitting on the couch. She watched him leave until the door shut behind him. She pulled herself off of the couch and went into Alex's room. The painting of Rory and Jess was long forgotten since he had started working on more original pieces, but it was still resting against his bedroom wall and Rory just stared at it. She and Jess were in such a good place, that picture couldn't even compare. She left Alex's room as soon as she heard the door close again.

He smiled at her from the doorway and she walked towards him again. He put his bag down on the floor and hugged her tightly. Rory's hands framed his face before she leaned into kiss him and his hands spread across her small back. Her hands ran down his chest before she pulled her head back.

"What do you want to do tonight?" Rory asked, looking up at him through her eye lashes. Jess loosened his grip on her and held one of her hands against his chest.

"This is your city. What do you want to do?" He countered, before kissing her quickly.

"Jess, you let me choose what to do last weekend, so it's your turn to make up your mind," she told him. He leaned in and kissed her again, this time it was rough and Rory couldn't help but respond. "Jess…"

"We can go out later," he countered. Rory shook her head, smirking. He raised his eyebrows and leaned closer to her. He let her hand fall from his chest and pulled her closer. She put her arms around his neck and stood taller, meeting him halfway for another kiss. Jess pulled her so that her legs were around his waist and he walked them to the couch. Once he was sitting and she was on her knees, her hands were framing his face, kissing him again.

"I guess we can go out later," Rory finally said, between kisses. It caused Jess to chuckle, but due to the situation, it was deep and didn't last long. She had missed this. Yes, she had missed him in general, but there was no way she could deny how she missed their physical relationship between weekends. She understood that, since he was a man, it was harder for him to hide the fact that he also missed it. Rory could have gone out for a few hours before falling into bed with him. Jess couldn't even make it through the living room. Which reminded her, they were still in the living room. If it was her apartment and not a shared apartment, it wouldn't be a problem. However, Alex could always pop in, maybe he forgot something.

She pulled away from his kisses and away from the couch, standing a foot or so away. Jess looked up at her, confused. His mouth was slightly open and his eyes were darker than normal. Rory smiled seductively and put her hand out for him; he smirked and reached for it. As soon as he was in front of her again, his lips were on hers and his hand was in her back pocket. Rory turned her body from his and grabbed the fabric of his jacket, pulling him with her. He walked as closely as possible to her as she led the way. He was kissing the back of her neck when they finally reached her bedroom. Once the door was closed, the clothes started coming off. As soon as his jacket was on the floor and the sweater was over her head, she started unbuttoning his flannel shirt. He watched her concentration and kicked his shoes off in the process. He couldn't take it anymore, though, and framed her face with his hands, kissing her fiercely.

When Rory shook awake an hour later, she was alone in the bed. She had a blanket lying carefully over her body and she could see Jess's head at the end of the bed. He was sitting on the floor, concentrating on something. He turned his head towards her when he heard her moving. She lay on her stomach so that her head was right next to his and kissed his temple.

"What are you doing?" She asked and she ran her fingers through his hair and he leaned into her touch.

"I got some inspiration," he explained, putting his computer back into his bag. He sat up on his haunches and framed her face with his hands. "You have that affect on me." She smiled and kissed him. He stood up, wearing his jeans and his shirt which was unbuttoned. Rory collected her clothes from the floor and started getting dressed, knowing Jess was watching her the entire time.

"So, what's the plan?" Jess asked as she pulled on her sweater.

"I was thinking drinks at the hotel? Maybe we could grab dinner after," she suggested, walking towards him and hugging his torso. He hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Sounds good to me," he mumbled into her hair.

"Okay," she answered. "Let me just get ready real quick." He nodded and she walked into the bathroom, flashing a smile before closing the door behind her.

Jess took in his surroundings. Rory's room was smaller than he had expected, it barely fit her queen sized bed and dresser, but it radiated Rory from every surface and corner. Books were piled on top of her dresser. Her closet door was open and it was neatly organized and her shoes sat on the floor and on the top shelf. She had a floral bedspread and he knew that under normal circumstances it was perfectly made. Her nightstand had only a lamp on top of it, but he was almost certain the drawers were filled with more books.

He left her room and wandered around the living room. There were original paintings on every wall, two packed bookshelves, a coffee table displaying fashion and art magazines, a plasma TV hanging on the wall, a well worn leather couch with a throw blanket lying across the top and three matching pillows on the seats, and two end tables with candles and framed pictures. The kitchen had the basics; refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, counters, small table with three chairs, coffee maker, obviously, and cabinets. The whole apartment was painted white, probably because of the landlord's rules. Alex's bedroom door was open slightly and the light was off, but he could see a corner filled with painting supplies and easels. He walked over to one of the smaller paintings and took a good look at it. It was well done, and it was a portrait of Rory done in blues and white. It was gorgeous. It was the kind of painting that Chris would put in the zine. It was something he would bring up when he got home, maybe talk to Alex later in the weekend about a possible feature.

He sat on the couch and put his head in his hands. Even when he was out of Philly, at his girlfriend's house, his mind was on his work. As soon as Rory had fallen into her sex-induced nap, he had gotten dressed and pulled his laptop out to work on his third novel. While Rory was in the bathroom, freshening up, he was looking at her best friend's painting as a way to further his business rather than as a piece of art. Jess loved his job and he loved his business partners like family, but he hadn't had a life outside of Truncheon since before _The Subsect_ was published. His stories were his own, but as soon as the guys caught onto him writing again, it turned into another aspect of the job. He was, after all, their most successful author.

He heard Rory leaving the bathroom and cutting through her bedroom into the living room. He looked up and smiled easily. She smiled back and sat next to him on the couch. "You can use my bathroom to get ready if you want," she said quietly, laying her head on his shoulder for a second.

"I think I will," he told her. She picked her head up and watched him pick up his suitcase and wander into her bedroom. She was wearing the same outfit as she had been before, but she was wearing a pair of flats that complimented her cream colored sweater perfectly and her hair fell over her shoulders perfectly.

She was so happy to have Jess in her apartment, even if only for a couple of nights. Having him there with her seemed so natural after the weekend she had spent in Philadelphia. It wasn't as stressful, he had already met Alex and he really had no one to impress. Even though she had hit it off with his friends, she had been so afraid that it wasn't going to be easy.

Jess left her room, dressed in the same dark jeans, but he was wearing a striped shirt now, un-tucked, black with barely there gray stripes. She smiled at him and he put his hand out for her. He was carrying his jacket in one hand and put it on once Rory was standing with him. Rory grabbed her jacket from the hook by the door, and put it on before grabbing her keys and phone.

Once they were outside on the sidewalk, Jess's hand reached for Rory's. She smiled at the feel of his palm against hers and put it into his jacket's pocket, pulling herself closer to him as they walked down the street.

"Your birthday's in two weeks," Jess said suddenly. Rory looked at him questioningly before answering. He was looking straight ahead, smirking. He was running his thumb over her knuckles inside of his pocket.

"It is," she agreed. "What about it?"

"Do you have anything planned?" He asked and Rory still looked at him incredulously.

"I usually go to Stars Hollow. Alex came with me last year and my mom threw me a party," Rory explained, turning to face the direction they were walking, towards Alex and the hotel. "Why?"

"I was just wondering. Some people like their birthdays; you're one of those people," he told her honestly.

"I only am because that's the way my mom raised me," she told him. "I feel like if it wasn't for her, my birthday would be just another day. I mean, that's how it was when we weren't talking."

"Huh."

"Are you one of those people that really like their birthdays?" She asked, even though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"No, absolutely not," he answered, shaking his head and letting out a single laugh. "The only reason I ever do anything is because my roommates force me down to the bar and force three or four shots down my throat."

"That sounds like fun," Rory told him, laughing. "Your next birthday, we're going to celebrate it the right way. We'll throw a party, we'll get a keg. You'll love it."

"I'm going to be twenty-seven next spring, you don't need to start planning now," he joked.

"I'm a planner, you know that."

"Yet, you don't plan your own birthday parties."

"You're not supposed to plan your own parties," she told him. "Where's the fun in that?"

"And what happens if no one plans anything?" He asked as they waited to cross the street.

"I've never thought of anything like that happening," Rory admitted. "Even on the campaign, I had people to celebrate my birthday with. I mean, Dean, Logan, Mom, Grandma, Lane, Alex, even Hugh and Jeremy have celebrated my birthdays. I don't know what I would do in that situation."

"I don't think you have to worry about it. You'll always have your mom and your grandma and me and Lane and Alex. Hopefully, Dean and Logan have nothing to do with your future birthdays. I don't know the other guys, but I'd prefer they wouldn't either," Jess told her as they got the clear to cross.

"Don't worry; there will be no Dean, no Logan, no Hugh, and no Jeremy. I'm yours," she promised him. She could see him smile and she leaned in and kissed his cheek. He let go of her hand in his pocket and opened the door for her.

"Good," he said solemnly. He kissed her and put his free hand on her neck. "That's what I like to hear."


	10. Until Morning

**AN: Not bad on the timing. I must say, I'm pretty proud of myself. Anyway, without tooting my own horn: Here is the next chapter. I hope that you enjoy it and I have some plans for what's to come. It's Until Morning by Dashboard Confessional. If I do nothing else, I'm still giving you a bombass playlist and I hope you're taking advantage of it :)**

Rory watched him walk into her bathroom from her bed. He was just wearing his boxers and he thought she was still asleep. He had just woken up himself and he was walking slowly and when he raised his arm above his head to stretch, she could see the muscles in his back working and waking up. She almost felt giddy watching him close the door. She sat up further in bed, shivering and then pulling the comforter up and tucking it beneath her arms. She heard the flush of the toilet and the running water of the sink before Jess joined her in the bedroom.

He smiled when he noticed she was awake and practically crawled on the bed to lie as close to her as possible. She smiled at him and kicked the blankets to cover the lower half of his body. He had to have been cold, the room was freezing. He took his eyes off of her for a moment to find the top and pull it to his waist. She put one of her hands on his cheek and kissed him tenderly.

"Why are you awake? It's only 4," Jess said, his forehead resting against hers.

"I don't know, I'm not used to other people getting out of my bed in the middle of the night," she explained. "I guess it just woke me up."

"I'm sorry," he whispered. She nodded and laid down further in her bed, cuddling into Jess's chest.

"Don't be, doofus," Rory joked. He kissed the crown of her head, she kissed the plane of his chest and they were off to sleep once again.

A few hours later, around nine o'clock, Rory's phone rang on her bedside table. She jumped grabbing it, silencing it, and kissed Jess quickly on the forehead while he slept on. She answered the phone quietly and found her robe before walking into her living room.

"Mom, it's _nine _o'clock on Sunday. Why are you so mean?" Rory asked, curling into a ball in the corner of her couch.

"I've been at work for hours, I didn't realize. I'm sorry, Babe," Lorelai answered, sounding far too cheery for Rory's ears.

"It's okay," Rory decided, smiling. "Why'd you wake me up?"

"It's your birthday in a couple of weeks and I wanted to know if you planned on coming to Stars Hollow," Lorelai told her.

"Of course, I am," she told her mother. "I always do."

"I know that, but with Jess, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't stepping on anyone's feet. Plus, the town has been on my back for days wondering what the plan is."

"Tell them that it's the same as usual. I'll be there, definitely, and I'll work my magic to make Jess come, too."

"Okay, that's perfect," Lorelai said, triumphant. "Let me know whether Paris and Alex are coming too. Sookie's going to want a count for catering purposes."

"I'll talk to them, too. Alex will most likely come and I'll see whether or not his boyfriend makes the cut," Rory told her. "I'm having dinner with Paris this week, so I'll see whether or not she and Doyle are coming. I'll let you know about whether or not they're going to need rooms, too, by Friday."

"Sweetie, that's perfect. You are my angel daughter and I'm so excited to see you."

"I have to go, though, Mom. I love you and I'll see you soon," Rory said, standing from the couch and hugging her robe tighter.

"Alright, Sweets, I should get going, too. I'll talk to you later," Lorelai replied before they both hung up their phones.

Rory tied her robe loosely at the waist and went to the small kitchen to start the coffee maker. She then walked into her bedroom and accidentally let the door slam behind her, waking Jess. When he shook awake, Rory smiled guiltily before climbing onto the bed and straddling his hips, looking down at him.

"I should be mad at you for waking me up, but I think the fact that you're falling out of your bathrobe is enough reason for me to get over it," Jess said, rubbing his eyes and then running his hands up and down Rory's thighs. Her laugh was loud and he couldn't help but smile up at her. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the mouth before rolling over and lying next to him. Jess rolled to face her, pulling down her robe and kissing the exposed skin.

"You're one of those guys?" She asked breathily. "You like it in the morning?"

"You could say that I have a thing for morning sex," he said, looking up at her. She held his face and kissed him hard while he wrestled her out of the bathrobe and himself out of his boxers. "Especially with you," he whispered, pulling her body into his and kissing her again while her fingernails dug into his shoulders.

-*-*-*-

"You cook, but, you see, I'm a master at accepting deliveries," Rory said, later that day, after she had hung up the phone with the Chinese place. "Alex and Kurt will be here in an hour, the food will be here in forty-five minutes."

"Okay," Jess said, distracted, while he typed furiously on his laptop. Rory smiled at him. He was sitting on the floor, in front her couch, with his computer in his lap. His hair was just long enough to fall across his forehead, not quite reaching his eyes. His jaw kept tightening, and she could tell he was trying to come up with the perfect word combination. After a few minutes of being watched from the kitchen counter, where Rory was perched, Jess finally looked up, questioningly. "What are you looking at?"

"You. You're so dedicated to whatever you're doing over there," Rory answered, resting her foot on the counter and hugging her knee. "You look so handsome and bothered."

"Huh," Jess said before looking back down at his computer and typing again. Rory kept watching him until he gently closed his laptop, put it on the floor next to him, and rubbed his face harshly with both of his hands. When he stood up, he strode to stand in front of his girlfriend.

Rory sat on the edge of the counter, her legs dangling apart where Jess stood. His arms were on either side of her body and her arms were resting on his shoulders. "Sorry I was staring," she said, smiling softly.

"It's fine," he told her. He kissed her lightly on the corner of her mouth. "Sorry I was crabby."

"Don't be. I'm learning new things about you," she told him. "Like, don't talk when you're writing."

"You can talk. This is your apartment," he reminded her. His hands were now on her hips.

"I like watching you write. You're so passionate when you're doing it, it's kind of romantic. Like, it's the most important thing you have."

"Not the most important," Jess said quietly and Rory kissed him quickly.

"I wish I was that passionate about anything."

"I thought you liked you're job," Jess asked.

"I love my job, but that's all it is to me; a job," Rory reminded him.

"Find a new one, then. Find one that makes you as crazy and satisfied as my writing does for me," Jess nudged her. "You know that you can do anything."

"You're sweet," she told him softly. "Jess?"

"Hm?" He mumbled, catching her eye.

"Will you come to Stars Hollow for my birthday?" Rory asked and she hooked her thumb into the front of his snug jeans, pulling him a step closer to her. "Please?"

"Of course I will," he told her, kissing her and she put her arms around his neck again, holding him tightly. "As long as you don't call me sweet in front of the whole town."

"I'll try, Sweetie," she said mockingly and he just shook his head and kissed her again. "Jess?" She asked again.

"What's up?" He asked, stepping back slightly at her serious tone.

"I don't want to be one of those girlfriends, but it's been eating me alive for the past couple of weeks," she started and he furrowed his brow in confusion, urging her to go on. "It's mostly been bugging me since this morning, though."

"Okay, Rory. What's going on?" He asked, tugging at her sleeve. She looked up at him, looking embarrassed. "Seriously."

"I don't want to know this, but I need to before my head explodes."

"Rory…"

"Who are all of these women that you've had morning sex with?" She asked after a long pause and a few more tugs on her sleeve. Jess had to physically contain his laugh.

"That's really all that you wanted to know?" He asked incredulously. "You wanted to know who and how many girls I've slept with?"

She nodded, definitely embarrassed now. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," he told her with a nod of his head. Her eyes widened and she sat up straighter, defensive.

"Deal. You go," she told him, sliding off the counter to stand in front of him.

"I've had sex with more than ten girls. I can't give you an exact number," he said after a few seconds of counting.

"So, you don't know all of their names? Were you in any serious relationships with any of them?"

"Really, Rory?" He asked and she fixed him with a stony glare. "I was in relationships with four of them. None of them lasted more than six months except for one, not too long after the open house," he told her and she nodded. "The other ones were girls I went on a couple of dates with and one night stands. I went through a one night stand phase. There were two girls before we had even met."

"Was Shane one of the girls you've slept with?" She asked, still stony and Jess couldn't help but laugh now, losing his defensive stance.

"No," he finally said. "Shane and I never had sex. We did just about anything else you can imagine, but there was no sex." She nodded, leaning against the counter. "It's your turn."

"There have been five guys and that's including you. I'll name them all in chronological order; Dean, Logan, Hugh, Jeremy, and you. Anything else?"

"I knew about the Dean thing, but I don't know why it happened and, honestly, I don't want to," he told her. "But who the hell are Hugh and Jeremy."

"Hugh and I dated while we were following around the president. He's one of the sweetest, most fun loving guys I've ever met. He's from Georgia, but lives in New York now. We only dated out of convenience, but he is a great guy. Jeremy's a lawyer in Boston. He's thirty-four and wildly successful for his age. We were together for under year and there was nothing between us. We met on a blind date and then I just went with him to all of his work shin digs and he came to Stars Hollow once for my birthday. My mom hates him, she liked Hugh, though."

"So, why the breakup with Hugh if he was so amazing?" Jess asked and he wasn't jealous or angry, just curious.

"It was convenient. He went to New York, I came here. We were more of friends with benefits, you know? We would have never survived outside of hotel and conference rooms."

"Why did you want to have this conversation, Rory?"

"I want to know you, Jess; even the uncomfortable things."

"Conversations like this never lead to anything good," he told her.

"What do you mean? You've slept with, like, three times as many people as I have. I honestly am not upset, I just needed to know who's slept with my boyfriend," she told him, pushing herself onto the counter again. He stood next to where her legs hung.

"That one night stand phase that I mentioned? It started right after Luke told me about the double date he and Lorelai went on with you and Dean."

"Jess, I'm not going to lie to you. My sleeping with Dean had a lot to do with the fact that I had to choose between the two of you again," Rory started to explain. "You had just asked me, after months of silence, to move away with you to New York and leave my entire life behind. When I said no, you just left again. I was weak, but Dean was there and I thought he could take care of me because you never tried to. I'm not saying this to hurt you; I absolutely don't want to hurt you."

"I fucked up, Rory. I know," he said in a harsh whisper and Rory hopped own from the counter to stand in front of him. "But you did, too. You broke up a marriage. Neither of us is innocent."

"No, we aren't. It's like I said to Alex, you and I are two people that are really good at hurting each other. But, Jess, I don't ever want to hurt you again. I love you and I know that now. I am in this."

Jess stood up straight and hooked his arm around Rory's waist, pulling her into his body for a hug. She nestled her face into his neck and kissed him lightly. "I love you, too, Rory. I don't want to hurt you, either," he said into her hair. Rory jumped at the sound of the doorbell and smiled weakly. She left Jess in the kitchen as she went to accept the delivery at the door.

When she came back, Jess was on the phone, laughing. "Seriously, man, I'll see you tomorrow. Don't let Chris near the customers anymore," he said before hanging up and putting his phone into the back pocket of his black jeans. Rory smiled at him and placed the bags on the small table. Jess started unloading the bags while Rory got out all the dishes that they would need. Suddenly, Alex came bustling into the apartment, holding Kurt by the hand. As soon as Rory saw him, she handed Jess the plates and jumped into his, now open, arms.

"Hello, Princess," he said. Rory said hi back and grabbed Jess's hand, pulling him into the group. "Jess, it's nice to see you again." Alex reached for his hand and he accepted happily.

"It's good to see you, too. Thanks for letting me crash," Jess said and Alex waved him off, smiling.

"Jess, this is Kurt. Kurt, this is Jess," he said, wildly gesturing between the two outsiders.

"Hello, Jess," Kurt said, and shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you," he said.

"You have no idea," Kurt responded and Alex gave him a look causing him to stop talking, and therefore, stop talking in such a manner that sounded like he wanted to take off Jess's tight t-shirt right there in the living room. Jess found Rory's waist and pulled her close to his body and she responded by putting her arm across his back and hugging him lightly before speaking,

"The food just got here, still warm. You guys help yourselves and I'll get the DVDs situated," she told them and Alex reluctantly pulled Kurt by the hand to the kitchen while Rory and Jess went to kneel in front of the TV. "He's a nice guy; he just comes off a little strong."

"It's just because I'm so goddamn good looking; everyone loves me," he joked, starting up the DVD player and putting in the disc that Rory had handed him. She punched him in the arm and stood up, smiling. Jess brought his laptop into Rory's bedroom before joining the rest of them in the kitchen.

As soon as they were all situated in front of the movie, Jess in on corner of the couch with Rory sitting in front of him, and Alex in the other corner with Kurt sitting in front of him, they were all happily eating in silence. Movie nights with Alex were different than movie nights with Lorelai. Alex liked to watch the movies; most of the ones Rory made him watch were ones he had never seen. Rory had to learn not to talk or mock too much when watching movies with Alex, but after their long, hectic weeks she enjoyed sitting with him and watching movies for hours.

Jess had been a part of Gilmore movie nights before, and he was surprised at how Rory just sat, ate, and watched. As soon as they were done eating, she took all of their dishes into kitchen and left them to rinse in the sink before joining the others and sitting with Jess on the couch. Jess held her and he could tell that she wouldn't make it through the entire movie; they had been busy all day.

Rory took him to the harbor and they sat and talked with their feet dangling above the water and watching the planes take off from Logan Airport across the way. She had brought a travel mug of coffee and they shared it and ate cookies he bought for them at Quincy Market. After that, she dragged him to the subway and they took it all the way to Fenway Park. They walked around the Back Bay for awhile and walked down Newbury and Boylston streets before going back to Rory's apartment. And as soon as they got back, he asked if she would mind if he wrote for a while. Of course she didn't mind, but he was annoyed with himself.

He wanted to get the stories in his head out and it would just so happen that the only time he could think straight was when he was with Rory. All week he works his ass off on other people's writing and stories and his weekends are supposed to be for Rory. No matter how much Jess loves his job, he knew that he would eventually need to slow down and focus on Rory. As much as he wanted things to work out with them with the whole long distance thing, he knew it wouldn't work for more than a few months. After all of the years they had been apart, they both craved each other physically and every weekend wasn't enough. It was more than physical, though. They both had grown up and gone through so many things that there were parts of each other's lives that they couldn't possibly know, even through the grapevine.

Rory kept falling asleep and jolting awake against Jess's body. She wanted to make it through the movie, but she could see Alex and Kurt falling asleep on their own. At one point, Alex's leg twitched and he kicked Kurt in the ribs, even gently, it woke him up immediately. Jess was the only one perfectly awake; he was playing with her hair and not watching the movie, but at least he was awake. She jumped up suddenly, surprising Jess and causing Alex to bolt awake again.

"I need to sleep if I'm ever going to get to work on time in the morning," she said, cracking her back.

"Oh, thank god," Alex said, pulling Kurt with him to his bedroom. Jess turned off the movie and took Rory, by the hand, into her bedroom. They both stripped down to their underwear and got into bed.

"Jess, I'm sorry that I asked about your ex-girlfriends or whatever earlier," Rory said into his chest. "I was wrong; I don't want to know everything, just the important things."

"What are the important things?" He asked, smoothing her hair as he spoke.

"I don't really know, but everything that happened before this doesn't matter. You are here and I am happy. That's all I need from you," Rory told him, kissing his chest. "I want us to be happy and not dwell on stupid shit that had nothing to do with each other."

"I would have been happy never knowing about any of the guys that you've slept with. I've spent a lot of time in my life trying not to think about you and the guys you could be with," Jess told her honestly. "But Rory, you can ask me whatever you want."

"You can ask me anything, Jess. I am an open book as far as you're concerned," Rory told him, curling into his body.

"I don't have anything right now, but that's good to know," he said and Rory giggled until it turned into a yawn. "Go to sleep."

"I don't want to wake up and watch you drive away," she said quietly.

"I know; I don't want to drive away," Jess said, just as quietly.

"Maybe it'll be easier this time."

"Yeah, and maybe by next week Hell will be frozen over." Rory laughed and kissed him slowly, drawing it out until they ran out of breath and had no choice but to fall asleep together.


	11. Any Other World

**I would hate me too. It took me a really long time to get this chapter out. It's long, but I feel like I could have gone on still. I spared you that, though. At least I know what's coming next. I'm sorry it took so long, but I'm done with school for the summer. I'll be updating more. The title of this chapter is _Any Other World _by Mika. I'm not really a fan of Mika, but this song does things to me. I hope you enjoy...**

It was finally Rory's birthday. She was off of work on Thursday and Friday so that she could get to Stars Hollow and spend her actual birthday with her mother. As soon as she pulled into the driveway Lorelai and Paul Anka ran out to greet her. Rory ran into her mother's open arms, smiling.

"Happy birthday, beautiful daughter!" Lorelai screeched and Rory jumped back at the sudden volume.

"Thank you," she said and Lorelai held her hand over her head to let her spin. Rory stopped with a smile before bending over and patting the dog. "Hi, boy."

"I'll grab your stuff, you take him inside," Lorelai demanded. Rory ran with Paul Anka up the steps and into her childhood home. He ran up the stairs to the master bedroom while Rory followed the sounds of Luke's muffled swearing into the kitchen.

"Rory! Happy birthday," Luke said as he turned the stove off.

"Thanks Luke!" Rory said, smiling. "What are you doing here in the middle of the day on a Thursday?"

"Your mom asked me to come over and make you guys lunch, so I took a little break," he said, arranging dishes. They heard Lorelai come into the house and the sounds of Rory's rolling duffle behind her.

"Luke, you didn't have to do that. We could have come to the diner to eat," Rory told him. "Mom, why did you make Luke leave the diner just to come home and work for you?"

"I wanted some alone time with my precious daughter before I let her into town on her twenty-sixth birthday," Lorelai explained, leaving Rory's bag against the wall. "Everyone is very excited to see you."

"Well, thank you, Luke," Rory said and Luke nodded.

"I should get back, but I'll be home pretty early tonight," he told them, kissing Lorelai before leaving the house.

"This looks delicious," Rory said, excitedly. She sat down in front of a full plate across the table from Lorelai. "Did you tell him what to make, too?"

"Oh no, Luke knows us well enough to know what kind of things we like on our birthdays," Lorelai told her. They both began eating. "So, when is your boyfriend joining us tomorrow?"

"Jess actually won't be here for the party," Rory said, quietly. "I didn't tell you that?"

"No, you didn't. Are you guys fighting? Do you want me to kick his ass?"

"Mom, no. We're fine. He's actually got some pretty exciting things lined up for the next couple of days. He's speaking in two different classes at NYU today and tomorrow and then he and Matthew are meeting with a perspective author."

"So, he's not celebrating with you on your birthday? That's kind of a bummer."

"Yeah, it is," Rory conceded. "It's good for him, though. Plus, we went to dinner this past weekend when I was in Philly. He promised he'd call me before the day ended."

"Well, he better," Lorelai said. "If he doesn't, I _will_ make Luke kick his ass."

"I don't think it will be necessary, but thank you," Rory said. They continued eating until Rory realized her mom had brought in her suitcase. "Why'd you bring my bag in? I just have to take it back out to the car when I go to the diner, anyway."

"Well, I figured, you could stay here in your old room slash April's current room. She won't be here until tomorrow night."

"I guess I could do that," Rory considered. "It might be fun to stay in there for a change. I miss it."

"Well, for tonight, it is all yours," Lorelai promised, squeezing Rory's hand across the table. "When's your other boyfriend coming? And Paris?"

"They're driving in together tomorrow," Rory said. "They're leaving their boyfriends in the city and we're all going to enjoy our weekend sans significant others."

"That should be fun; I bet Paris doesn't get to do that a lot."

"She never does. Between the hospital and Doyle, she's a very busy lady. I hope she has fun this weekend," Rory told her.

That night, after dinner with Luke, Lorelai, Sookie, and Lane, Rory was lying in her bed typing up some notes for work. It was nearly midnight and Jess hadn't called yet. Granted, Rory wouldn't be thinking about it if Lorelai hadn't brought it up at dinner and Lane didn't sound so unfazed. It made her feel like she was in high school again, her mother and her best friend were second guessing Jess's feelings and commitment and Rory couldn't blame them. They didn't see Jess as he was; they still saw him as a teenager. Lying in bed, lonely, she saw him the same way.

When her phone finally did ring, it was 11:58. "Hi," she said.

"Happy birthday," Jess said.

"Barely," Rory reminded him.

"Rory, please don't be mad," Jess pleaded as he sat on his bed in his hotel room.

"Jess, I'm not mad. I just feel a little like Samantha Baker."

"I didn't forget your birthday."

"Then why are you calling me so damn late?" Rory asked, putting her computer on the floor.

"I was busy all day and by the time I realized what time it was I figured I'd wait to be the last one to say it."

"That's a horrible excuse," Rory hissed, standing from her bed to pace. "You're a writer, Jess. I'd figure you'd come up with something a little more clever."

"Are you seriously picking a fight with me over this?" Jess asked as he kicked his shoes off.

"Just admit that you forgot my birthday and we'll be done with this."

"Done with what, Rory? This argument or something else?"

"Are you trying to break up with me… on my birthday?!"

"You are the one who's making it sound like you want to break up. That's what I was questioning," Jess yelled slamming his fist against the bed. "Also, it's not your birthday anymore."

"Did you, or did you not, forget my birthday?" Rory asked fiercely, avoiding the question at hand.

"No, Rory. I did not forget your birthday," Jess answered. "But I wish that I had, maybe then we wouldn't be having this fucking fight over nothing." With that he hung up the phone and Rory threw hers against her pillows.

She plugged it into the charger and shut the light off before settling into bed. It took a while for her to fall asleep. She was pissed at Jess and he had hung up on her. Some grown up relationship they were in; their first fight back together and they couldn't even resolve it. She was sure that she wouldn't be the one to apologize. Jess should have called a lot earlier. He should have made it a point to make it to her party, even if he had to bring Matthew along with him.

"I heard some yelling last night," Lorelai said when she found Rory in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to brew.

"Jess finally called," she explained shortly. "What do we need to do for the party tonight?"

"Whoa, Ror, do you want to talk about the Jess thing?"

"No, I want to make sure that the party tonight is a raving hit," Rory said just as the pot finished filling. "What should I do to help?"

"Nothing, it's your party so you should take the day off," Lorelai told her, watching her pour coffee into a travel mug. "Go wait for your friends. You said last night they would be here around one, right?"

"Yes, and they will definitely be here by then. I talked to Paris this morning," Rory said. "I'll bring my stuff to Luke's and hang out with Lane and the boys until they get close. Let me know, though, if you need any help."

"Go to Lane's. Steve and Kwan will be so excited to see you," Lorelai said, ushering Rory out of the kitchen. "April is watching them and Doula tonight. The whole town over the age of eighteen is going to be here."

"Great, I can't wait."

Rory took her bag and got into her car. As she drove through town and saw all of the people, she couldn't help but get excited about the party. She really missed everyone. She couldn't wait for the shenanigans that could play out. Someone was bound to make out with someone inappropriate and there was sure to be at least one public break up. No matter how old she was getting, nothing excited her more than a real Stars Hollow get-together.

After she dropped her stuff off at Luke's and filled her coffee cup again, she walked over to Lane and Zach's house. She couldn't wait to see the boys. The last time she was in town and she went to Lane's, they were heading to take a nap. It was early enough, though, that they were still awake when she got there.

She let herself into the small house and found Steve and Kwan sitting in front of the TV watching some ridiculous show that only three year olds could find entertaining. Lane was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes when Rory found her.

"They are so distracted, that they didn't notice their favorite aunt walk past them," she said when Lane turned around.

Lane checked her watch. "Well, it's their favorite show," she said. They hugged and walked to the living room to sit on the couch behind the twins. "How was the rest of your birthday?"

"If by that, you mean, did Jess ever end up calling me? The answer is yes. He called two minutes before my birthday ended," Rory said, flopping back into her seat.

"That could either be really sweet or really stupid," Lane decided.

"How could that ever be sweet? He forgot my birthday until the very last possible minute."

"Maybe it was a Jess way of being sweet. It's cliché to try and be the first person to say happy birthday, but he wanted to be the last," Lane explained and Rory groaned. "Or, he really could have been brain dead and he forgot."

"He said that he wanted to be the last one to say it, but I don't believe it. Things have been so good between us that he didn't want to admit that he was wrong and it ended up starting a fight anyways."

"Maybe," Lane said.

"You believe him?"

"I didn't say that," Lane defended. "I am always on your side, Rory; especially when it comes to Jess."

"Thank you."

"Just let him explain if he tries to again. I'm guessing one of you ended the conversation abruptly."

"You know us so well," Rory laughed.

"I know that you two love each other and, even if he did forget your birthday, things will be okay."

"Thanks," Rory said, solemnly. "Anyways, are you excited for the party tonight?"

"I am really excited," Lane gushed. "Zach and I haven't really gone out without the boys in a while. We both need a night out; your birthday is the perfect excuse."

"I'm glad I can help, then. You two deserve some time off," Rory decided.

"So do you; good thing you got yourself a nice long weekend. Thursday to Sunday in your hometown to celebrate your birthday; that's not too shabby."

"I'm glad to be home. I even got to stay in my room last night. I haven't done that in at least two years. I always loved my room."

"Your room was the setting for so many of our childhood memories. I've always loved that room, too."

"I know. Not just my room either, that house is my favorite place in the world. It's been redone and looks so different, but it feels the same. Is that weird?"

"No. We've had your birthday parties there for the past twenty years. We've spent endless hours talking about boys and hanging out with boys. Your house was always my safe haven. I met my husband in your garage, you know? You met your boyfriend during some disastrous dinner on his second night in town."

"Not to mention, Mom has been through so much there. All of the men in her life; my dad, Luke, Jason, Max. All of us have basically grown up in that house and I wouldn't want it any other way."

All of a sudden, they realized that Steve was standing up from his spot on the floor and the credits of the show were rolling. "Potty," he said, plainly.

"Go potty and yell for Mommy if you need any help," Lane said and Steve ran towards the bathroom. Kwan sat down on the couch between Rory and his mother. Rory pulled him to sit on her lap.

"Heya Kwan," she said causing him to smile. "What are you doing today?"

"Mommy's taking me to the park and then Abril is playing wit Eve and me," he told her. "Doula, too."

"Wow," Rory said. "That sounds like so much fun. I bet you can't wait to do those things." Kwan smiled again before leaping off her lap and running towards his bedroom.

"I'm going to go check on Steve. I'll be right back," Lane said, standing from the couch.

Rory took her phone out of her pocket to check for any messages. There weren't any, but she knew that she should get going to meet Paris and Alex at the diner. So, when Lane came back into the living room after putting the boys down for their nap, they talked and drank a cup of coffee each.

"I'll see you tonight," Rory said as she opened the door.

"I can't wait. Everyone's really excited," Lane told her, leaning against the wall. "We'll be there at eight."

"Bye, Lane."

Rory left and walked towards the diner. She wanted Alex and Paris to get their things settled before they decided on anything else. Alex would want to buy some alcohol for the party and Paris would want to eat. When she got to the diner, Lorelai was sitting at the counter with bags all around her stool. Luke was on the phone, standing at the register.

"Hi, Mom," Rory said, sitting next to her.

"Rory, hi. What are you doing here?" Lorelai asked, kicking some of the bags away from Rory and her line of sight.

"It's almost one," she reminded her mother. "Paris and Alex will be here any minute."

"I guess I lost track of time," Lorelai admitted, sipping her coffee.

"Who's Luke talking to?" Rory asked. "He doesn't look too ecstatic."

"It might be Jess, but I don't know."

"Why would he be mad at Jess?"

"I don't know, Sweetie. He's been on the phone ever since I got in here. I had to get this cup of coffee myself; perks of being the owner's wife, I guess."

"That's weird," Rory thought aloud. "The Jess thing, not you getting your own coffee. You did that before you got married."

"Want one?"

"Please."

Lorelai walked to the other side of the counter and poured a cup for Rory. "I'm going to go home, though. I'll see you a little later."

"Are Grandma and Grandpa coming?" Rory asked once Lorelai was standing next to her again.

"Yes, they are. They'll be there by eight, but they said that they couldn't stay long."

"Maybe it's a good thing Jess couldn't make it, then. The three of them don't need any interactions."

"That's a good way of looking at it," Lorelai laughed. She leaned towards Rory and kissed her cheek. "Love you, Sweets."

As Lorelai left the diner, Rory could see Paris's car outside. She drank her coffee and strained to hear Luke while Paris and Alex made their way inside. Luke seemed stressed; she couldn't hear him very well, but she could see the vein in his neck and he kept playing with his baseball hat with his free hand.

"Hi, Princess," Alex whispered into her ear. She turned around, smiling and hugged him tightly.

"Hi," she screeched. "Hi, Paris!"

"Happy birthday," she said, putting her bag next to her feet.

"You already said that yesterday, but thank you," Rory said, smiling. "Come on, we should get your things upstairs." As they walked by Luke he looked at Rory smiling. It just confused her more. She still didn't know whether or not he was talking to Jess. Once they reached the apartment, Rory explained who would sleep where. "Paris, you can sleep in the bigger bed, Alex the couch pulls out to a bed and that's all yours."

"Sounds perfect," Alex exclaimed. He put his bag next to the couch and Paris put hers on Luke's old bed.

"We haven't eaten yet. We figured the three of us could get something together. Then, we can all go to the liquor store," Paris suggested taking in the apartment. "You're taking Jess's bed?"

"I always do," Rory told her. "And the plan sounds great. We can eat downstairs if you want to."

"I love Luke's food," Alex announced. "And did Jess ever end up calling you last night?"

"He did two minutes before midnight. He said that he wanted to be the last one to say it," Rory told him.

"You don't sound happy about that," Paris remarked.

"He hung up on me after I accused him of forgetting my birthday. We haven't spoken since," she explained. "Whatever."

"That's so unlike Rory Gilmore," Alex decided. "You never say whatever. You fight back and you call him out."

"You're reverting back to the last time you were together," Paris accused.

"Today's a big day. I can fight with him tomorrow," Rory argued. "Or he can call."

"Let's just go down and eat," Alex suggested, steering the girls toward the door.

Luke was finally off the phone when they reached the diner. Neither he nor Rory commented on who he may have been talking to. He just took their orders and delivered them once they were ready.

"Why is he acting so strange?" Paris asked before taking a bite of her salad.

"He's not," Rory told her. "He's acting like Luke."

"I guess I just never realized how strange Luke was, then."

Rory ignored her and the three of them started up a new conversation. Alex was sending some of his original pieces to Chris at Truncheon. He had picked two of his favorites with help from Rory and he put them in the mail right before he and Paris left for Stars Hollow. Now he just needed to get them approved and into the magazine. It could be a lot of great publicity.

Once they were finished, they all piled into Paris's car to go to Woodbridge. As tradition, they all went to the liquor store to pick up the alcohol that they wanted for themselves and would pick up some for the party. Stars Hollow parties were rarely BYOB. Everyone that threw a party cared enough to supply the drinks. Mrs. Patty, though, always came prepared and whether or not it was Founders Day, she brought enough punch for the whole town.

After the trip to the liquor store, Rory, Paris, Alex, and Lorelai were sitting in the kitchen watching Sookie finish the food for the party. "Rory, you're not supposed to look sad on your birthday," Alex said pointedly.

"It's not my birthday and I'm not sad," Rory told him. "I'm just tired of waiting for the party to start. I'm really excited."

"Of course," he said skeptically. "Lorelai, why was your husband acting extra weird and antisocial today?"

"It beats the hell out of me," she answered. "He seemed normal when he left this morning."

"He was on the phone for a while today and he was not himself," Paris explained.

"Oh, when he may or may not have been talking to Jess," Lorelai decided.

"He looks so good," Sookie commented absentmindedly.

"Yeah," Rory agreed, smiling. "I never did find out if he was talking to Jess or someone else. It doesn't matter, though."

"Ah, the reason you're _not_ sad," Alex said and Rory shook her head and ate a cookie off of the platter on the table. "When do people start arriving?"

"An hour or so," Lorelai told him.

"An hour?! I only have an hour to finish this all," Sookie all but screamed before she started mixing faster.

"Sookie, everything's fine," Rory laughed. "You have plenty of time, don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

"Do you need a paper bag?" Paris asked as Sookie bent over, breathing heavily.

"Give her ten more minutes, and if she's still breathing like that, I'll take care of it," Lorelai promised. "Sweets, please smile and don't let this thing with you and Jess get to you. You're having a good time tonight, I swear."

"I'm really fine; Jess is the last thing on my mind right now."

"Bull."

Just then, Luke came shuffling through the kitchen door stopping short at the people he wasn't expecting. "Hi," he said before leaning down and giving Lorelai a quick kiss. "I'm going to take a shower and get ready." Then he was gone.

"That was kind of weird," Sookie commented, resting against the counter.

"I told you," Alex said, taking a drink of his coffee.

"I'll talk to him when he gets out of the shower," Lorelai promised. "In the meantime, though. You three should go get ready."

"And we're off," Rory said, pulling Alex and Paris with her.

"I better see smiles and dancing when you get back," Lorelai threatened.

"I'll try!"

"So, are you going to call him or are you being stubborn and waiting for him to call?" Alex asked. They were walking through the square, Paris a few feet ahead.

"I just don't want to deal with it right now. I don't want to hear his excuses and I don't want to admit that I may have overreacted."

"So, that's why you're being pissy," Alex concluded. "You think you're wrong."

"I don't think I'm wrong about him forgetting my birthday, but I definitely know I'm wrong about how I attacked him," Rory admitted. "Like I said, though, I don't want to deal with it tonight. I want to have fun."

"Is there any particular reason you attacked him?" Alex asked as they walked into the diner.

"At dinner last night, my mom and Lane were making me feel like Jess not calling me meant that Jess was reverting back to himself ten years ago," Rory vented. "The worst part was that they weren't even doing it on purpose. They weren't trying to say anything bad about him. They both like him, and yet that seed is still planted in their minds and it was inadvertently being planted in mine."

"Wow, you have problems," Paris commented as the three of them walked up the stairs and into the apartment.

"Thank you," Rory said humorlessly.

"It's just that you thinking Jess was acting like an eighteen year old made you act like an eighteen year old. That's not healthy."

"Shut up, Paris," Rory said sadly. Paris shrugged and rifled though her bag, searching for clothes to wear. Alex was sitting on the couch, his duffel bag next to him, doing the same thing; pulling out his outfit piece by piece. Rory pulled out her blue dress from the closet, a pair of heels from her bag, and all of her makeup and took them with her into the bathroom. "I'll be five to seven minutes."

"Do you think that Luke was talking to him today?" Paris asked Alex.

"I think so, probably. Maybe he knows something and doesn't want Rory or Lorelai to find out and that's why he's being weird."

"What would he know that he wouldn't want Rory and Lorelai to find out?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," Alex told her. Paris finished picking out her outfit and waited for Rory to finish in the bathroom. As she walked out of the bathroom, she was finishing up her mascara.

"Alexi-Poo!" She yelled as Paris hurried into the bathroom to get ready herself.

"Yes, darling?"

"Should I wear a white cardigan, a gray cardigan, or a black cardigan?" Alex looked up from his duffel bag and compared each sweater Rory was holding.

"I'd go with the white," he decided and Rory slid it on. "Are you excited?"

"I really am. Everyone's going to be there, even my grandparents. I've been looking forward to this for almost two weeks."

"Only a little while longer," Alex told her.

"I can't wait!" Rory pulled on her sweater, already planning on taking it off no more than fifteen minutes into the party.


	12. Leave Your Boyfriends Behind

**So, it's been awhile... But an update is an update. The chapter is called _Leave Your Boyfriends Behind_, a song by Leona Naess. Fantastic song. Sorry this took so long and that it may not be the most fantastic chapter. I'll try and make it better and update more.**

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Rory yelled, from the living room. She greeted them in the foyer. "Let me take your coats."

"Happy birthday, Rory," Emily said, hugging Rory.

"Happy birthday," Richard echoed, handing her their coats.

"Thank you for coming! Everyone is in the living room, I'll be right in," she said. They nodded and walked towards Lorelai standing with Luke by the mantle. Rory walked towards her bedroom, listening to her mother greet her grandparents. She smiled at the fact that they had been consistently getting along for a while. She laid their jackets on the bed with all of the others and grabbed a drink on her way to the living room. Babette and Morie were beginning a song, Morie tapping a beat on his knees. Her mom and Luke were deep in conversation with Emily and Richard. Alex was eating with Lane and Zach at the couch. Paris was standing in the corner on the phone with Doyle.

Rory decided it would be best to sit with Alex, Lane and Zach. She'd catch up with her grandparents soon. "Rory, is it true that Lane used to secretly date the guitarist of their band?" Alex asked as soon as she joined them.

"Yeah, of course. Why don't you believe that?" She asked, sipping her beer.

"I always thought that Zach was the only guy she'd ever been with."

"She dated Dave senior year of high school and then he went to college in California, but they definitely dated," Rory informed him. Lane's face was slightly red and Zach was chuckling at the turn of conversation.

"Dave was a really great guy, but it was not meant to be," Lane told them, reaching for Zach's hand. "Alex, I heard you have a new boyfriend. What's he like?"

"He's Kurt," he told her simply. "He's very tall-" Rory got up then and joined her mom and grandparents. Luke had backed out of the conversation minutes before.

"So, Rory, how is work going?" Richard asked as Lorelai put her arm over her shoulders.

"I love my job, but it's starting to get a little boring," she told him honestly. "I think I'm going to go to grad school next fall. I want to grow more as a journalist… as stupid it sounds. I need a change."

"I think that is a brilliant idea," Emily cooed, and Richard nodded. "Where are you thinking of applying?"

"I haven't really thought of that yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I start coming up with a few schools," she promised.

"Before you go back to school, I really think that you should take that trip to Fez," Richard told her. "It's about time you put that plan in motion. You'll have an amazing time."

"That actually sounds like a great idea, Grandpa. I might do that in the summer," she said, the idea sounding perfect in her mind.

"Lorelai, where is Sookie?" Emily asked.

"She's finishing up all of the food in the kitchen. She'll join civilization in just a few minutes," Lorelai assured her.

"Ah, yes, I can smell the food. It smells delicious," Richard commented. "I think I'm going to go take a peek at what she's making."

The three Gilmore girls watched him as he walked to the kitchen. Rory watched Paris join the others on the couch and she turned towards her grandmother.

"Where are you and Grandpa going for vacation this winter, Grandma?"

"We're going to Venice for a nice change. We leave two days after Thanksgiving and we come home two weeks later," Emily responded. "You'll be joining us on Thanksgiving, won't you?"

"Of course, Grandma, I'm there every year. I love it."

"Mom, last year there weren't apple tarts at the Christmas party. There will be this year, though, won't there be?" Lorelai asked and Rory left them to their conversation. She found Luke sitting at the kitchen table, watching Sookie and Jackson argue over something.

"Hi, Luke."

"Oh, hi Rory."

"Where'd my grandpa go?" She asked, joining him at the table.

"I think he ducked into the bathroom," he answered, sitting back in his seat.

"Oh, okay," she said, letting the conversation fall flat. She watched Luke squirm while listening to Sookie's triumphant sigh, signaling that the food was finished. "Luke, is anything the matter?"

"Why would you ask me that?"

"You've been acting a little weird toward me all day. Did I do something?"

"Nothing's wrong," he answered. "I'm going to get your mom a drink."

Rory watched him leave the kitchen and then she joined Sookie at the counter where she was putting all of the food onto platters. "Rory, take some food. It's your party, you get first dibs," she said, rubbing Rory's back.

"Thank you, it all looks delicious," Rory said, filling a paper plate with pigs in a blanket and chicken kabobs. "I'll go let them all know that they can come in and start eating."

"Okay, give me twenty-six seconds to finish getting everything set up and then send them in!"

"I will do that," Rory said with a chuckle. When she walked into the living room, the amount of people had doubled. The door was unlocked and a few more people trickled in just as she walked up to her mother. "Mom, the food is ready. You should let everyone know."

"Friends and honored guests, I would like to let you all know that if you walk into the kitchen, there will be an array of delicious treats awaiting you!" Lorelai yelled as she walked through the living room, assuring herself the first spot in line. Rory watched as most everyone followed her and sat down with Alex on the couch.

"You're not eating?" She asked as she took a bite of her own food.

"I'm going to wait until everyone else has gone up. I know Sookie's food is great, but I don't know if it's worth a line that long," he remarked.

"It is, but she made way more than is necessary, so I think that you'll be fine."

"Have you talked to Jess at all?"

"Nope, but I did try talking to Luke. He said nothing was wrong, but I feel like he's avoiding me," she told him. "I don't want to worry about it, though. If anything is wrong either he or Mom will tell me eventually."

"I don't think that Luke could ever be mad at you, so I don't really think there's anything to worry about in the first place."

"I hope so. Have you talked to Kurt?"

"He has called me three times since I got to Stars Hollow. I don't think he trusts me," Alex said.

"He clearly doesn't know of Stars Hollow's complete lack of gay culture," Rory told him. "He has no reason not to trust you."

"I know. And he never said it outright, but I just feel that way. He's getting on my nerves a bit lately. He's much needier than I had imagined," he told her.

"You don't do well with needy. I think that's why we get along so well."

"We're very independent people," he agreed. "The line's going down. I'm going to jump in it."

"Okay, I'm going to mingle."

Rory stood and talked with every last person in her house and by the time she finished her rounds it was almost 11. Her grandparents had been long gone, and they promised to visit her very shortly in Boston as they left. She had learned everything there was to learn about rugs from Kirk (he tried to sell her one at least three times). Miss Patty tried to tell her about her most intense love and that she had nothing to worry about when it came to Jess. Lane filled her in about Brian getting engaged to a videographer from Hartford. She was so exhausted by that point that she pulled her mom onto the porch swing for some alone time.

"So, Babe, I found out why Luke has been acting weird around you," Lorelai told her, her arm rested on her shoulders.

"What did he say? I tried talking to him, but he kind of brushed it off," Rory said as she pulled her legs up onto the swing.

"He feels bad about what happened with Jess last night, but he also feels bad that he… agrees with Jess," she told her slowly. "He feels bad because he has never been on Jess's side when it came to the two of you. He doesn't want you to think he's choosing Jess over you."

"Wow," Rory remarked. "He shouldn't feel bad. That's ridiculous. He has a right to his opinion and it _is_ his nephew. I feel bad that he feels so bad."

"Honey, he's just not used to it. He doesn't know how to be on Jess's side," Lorelai said with a small laugh.

"Was it Jess he was talking to on the phone at the diner?"

"Mostly, yes. He never said what he was talking about. I think he said that he was also talking to his bread guy," Lorelai informed her.

"I'm going to call him tomorrow, I guess. I shouldn't have overreacted like that. Even if he did forget my birthday, which may not be the case anyways, I had no reason to pick a stupid fight like that."

"You were upset and I think I may have had something to do with that," she admitted. "I didn't mean to, but Luke also pointed out that I may have sounded a little disapproving of Jess. I'm not, though. I'm really happy for the both of you. I think I just forget that you guys aren't teenagers anymore. I forget that he's grown up a lot and I didn't even know what I was saying. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I doubt him sometimes, too. I need to stop, though. I'm an adult and so is he. We're not those kids anymore. I feel like I'm worse than he is; if anyone runs away, it'll be me."

"Don't say that, Sweetie. You love him and you have no reason to run away. As far as I know, things have generally been going really well for you two. You'll work this out without running away."

"Thanks Mom," Rory said, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.

"I'm going to head inside and see how everyone is doing," Lorelai left her sitting on the porch swing. A few minutes later, Alex and Paris left the house and walked towards her.

"We're going to head back to the diner. I'm beat as hell," Alex informed her.

"Be careful when you go back inside. Things are getting pretty weird," Paris warned. "We'll see you in a little while."

"Bye guys. Thank you so much for coming," Rory said, getting up and hugging them both. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Sweetie," Alex said, pulling Paris along with him.

Rory walked into her house, pouring herself a margarita as soon as she hit the living room. She wasn't drunk, but she was definitely feeling it. She took a sip and a long glance around her house. Miss Patty and Taylor were drunk, in the corner, getting very touchy. Zach was serenading one corner of the room while Lane played drums on an end table and a lamp. Kirk was asleep on the couch, sucking his thumb. Lorelai and Luke were resting against the stairs, kissing slowly. Sookie and Jackson were hiding away in the kitchen. Most everyone else was gone. She decided the porch was the best place for her and she almost fell backwards when she opened the door to find Jess standing there.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked, closing the door and leading him to the porch swing.

"I was told these Stars Hollow parties can get pretty crazy. Sometimes fights even break out," he said as they both sat down.

"I went to one of those. They're not as fun as they sound," she told him, dryly.

"Luke convinced me to come. He was right, so I'm here."

"What about the perspective author? Where's Matt?"

"We moved dinner to lunch with the author and Matt stayed behind to meet with him again tomorrow, maybe bring him back to Truncheon if things go well," he explained. "I took the bus here, I've been at the diner for a few hours resting and I ran into Paris and Alex on my way here."

"I'm sorry, Jess. I overreacted. I feel like a complete idiot," Rory sputtered out of nowhere.

"Sometimes I feel like you've never trusted me, I should have seen it coming, I guess."

"I do trust you most of the time. People get to me easily, especially people that mean a lot to me. I shouldn't have let their remarks make me doubt you, but I did."

"It's not about other people, Rory."

"I'm not blaming other people; I'm just telling you how my thought process came to be. If you didn't forget my birthday, then that's great. Even if you did, I'm not that petty and I should not have blown up at you."

"I remembered your birthday around lunchtime, I didn't call because I was about to speak in a class and I figured waiting until the last minute would be best. I was really trying to be sweet and I don't like being sweet, so I thought I was doing the right thing by growing."

"Everyone else thought it was a sweet idea, but my mind went to you not caring and completely forgetting. I acted like a twelve year old, I acted worse than Samantha Baker did her entire sixteenth birthday," Rory rambled on, referencing _Sixteen Candles _yet again.

"Rory, we can get over this. It was a stupid fight that you brought upon and I'm not willing to let it ruin anything. I hung up on you before things got ugly."

"I know," she told him. "I appreciate that now. I hated you for it last night, but you did the right thing."

"So, we're good? We don't need to dwell upon this and let it ruin our already difficult relationship?" Jess asked, sitting back, spreading his arms across the top of the seat.

"We're good. I won't let us end up like Katie and Hubble, looking back on the way we were," Rory decided, curling into his side.

"I hate that I knew what you were talking about as soon as you said Katie and Hubble," Jess said, shaking his head. He kissed Rory on the temple and rubbed her arm.

"I love you for that," she told him. "Do you want to go inside? Mom and Luke might be done making out by now."

"I guess we can risk it," he said, standing up and offering her his hand she took it with a smile and led the way into the house. Lorelai was sitting on the stairs alone; Luke was nowhere to be seen.

"Jess," Lorelai announced, surprised. "When did you get here?"

"I got in a few hours ago, but I just got _here_ a few minutes ago," he told her. "Where's the man of the house?"

"He headed up to bed a couple of minutes ago. You just missed him."

"I'm sure I'll see him tomorrow," he said. "I'm going to the bathroom; I'll be back in a minute." He kissed Rory on the cheek and walked towards the bathroom.

"Well, this is a nice surprise," Lorelai said, turning her attention towards Rory.

"I'm happy," Rory said.

"Where are you two lovebirds staying tonight?"

"I didn't think that far ahead…."

"Well, lucky for you, Michel happens to be working third shift tonight. Just go in and he'll set you up real nice," Lorelai told her.

"Thanks, Mom. You are my favorite mom ever," Rory said and kissed her on the cheek.

"I wasn't aware I had competition. But thanks, I appreciate it."

Rory made her way around the living room, saying her goodbyes. She felt a little silly leaving her own party before a lot of the guests, but chances were that some of them would end up there all night. By the time she was done, Jess was standing with Lorelai talking about his past couple of days at NYU.

"Plus, the writer that I had a meeting with today will be graduating from there in the spring, so we just met him right on campus," Jess was saying as Rory strolled up to them.

"You're doing pretty well for yourself, Jess," Lorelai told him. Rory smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," he said, taken aback, but sincerely.

"You two should go. I'm going to clean up a little and then send some people home,"

"Thanks for everything, Mom," Rory said. "I love you."

"You're welcome, Sweetie. I love you, too. And I'll see you tomorrow."

Jess said goodbye as he took Rory's hand. They walked to the door as Lorelai began collecting empties off of tables and the floor. Jess let the door shut behind them and led them away from the house.

The two walked in almost complete silence to the inn. It was late, they were both exhausted. Rory felt like everything was better; they didn't need to fill a long walk with conversation. They weren't trying to make a situation less awkward; they were just heading to the inn to spend their time together. Jess knew that they were going to talk once they were settled. He knew how their relationship worked. No one needed conversation to feel comfortable, especially when it was quarter to two in the morning.


	13. Drop to Hold You

**Ahhhhh. I don't even know how long it's been. I apologize for the wait... if anyone is even waiting. I hope you are. Gahh.**

**Anyways, this chapter is called _Drop to Hold You_ and it's a song by Matt Nathanson, straight off his new album. Give it a listen. Seriously guys, just make a playlist from the chapter titles. These songs are my life.**

Rory watched as Jess's back rose and fell with each one of his breaths. They were still in bed at the Dragonfly and Jess was still asleep. Rory had been up for an hour watching him for no real reason, but she enjoyed it immensely. She hated that by the end of the weekend they would be separated again, but she couldn't let that fact ruin his peaceful sleep.

When they had gotten to the inn the night before, they took a shower together and got into bed. They spent an hour or two lying together and talking about the things they had missed out on since they had seen each other last. They never brought up their fight or their long distance relationship. They only talked about good things; the things that made them happy.

She snapped out of her trance when she noticed Jess's head turn toward her. He yawned into the inside of his elbow before propping himself up. She smiled down at him and kissed him.

"Morning," she said, pulling away. He yawned again and turned to sit up next to her.

"Morning," he said back. Rory laid her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long," she lied and he nodded silently. She glanced at the clock and noticed it was already eleven. Her friends were probably awake, filling their time until Rory joined them, with or without Jess. Their plans weren't anything spectacular, just lunch before they had to head back to the city and their boyfriends. "When do you need to go back to Philly?"

"Sometime tomorrow," he said, rolling his shoulders. "I promised Matt I'd be back in time for work on Monday morning."

"Yeah, I have to leave sometime tomorrow, too," she told him. "I hate this."

"I know."

"No, like, I really can't stand it. I feel my heart break every single Sunday."

"I know. Me, too. Things will be easier once we get our lives figured out. I can't leave Philadelphia or Truncheon and you can't leave Boston or the _Globe_."

"I hate that. I hate that I screwed this up before and I wasn't factoring you in when I was looking for jobs."

Jess let out a humorless laugh and rubbed his face with his free hand and Rory looked up at him; her face full of sadness.

"You had been dating Logan for years when you started looking for jobs. He had just asked you to marry him and you said no. You shouldn't have been thinking about anyone… especially your ex-boyfriend."

"I'm just so frustrated," she whined. "Why didn't I know that this would happen? How did I not see it?"

"You weren't in love with me," he said simply.

"Why was so blind?"

"Rory, stop. We can't change anything now. We weren't together, you had no idea this would happen. It's not your fault."

"I'm sorry. I just – I can't – I don't want to leave you again."

"I know."

"I have to go meet Alex and Paris for lunch," she told him. "Can we meet up later?"

"Of course," Jess said, kissing her on the forehead again. "I'm going to go back to the diner and get my things. I'll come back here and work."

"Okay."

They both got out of bed and dressed for the day. While Rory brushed her teeth, Jess did his hair and vice versa.

They left the inn, each with their own copy of their room key, dressed in thick fall jackets. Jess's hood was on and Rory's hands were stuffed deeply in her pockets. The weather wasn't unlike regular New England Octobers, but it was still uncomfortably cold for most. Jess walked with his arm around Rory's shoulders and his hands balled into his sleeves.

When they reached the diner, Paris and Alex were sitting at a table with Lorelai. Rory joined them and Jess just stopped to say hello before heading to the apartment.

"Sorry I ruined our weekend sans boyfriends last night," Rory said once he was behind the curtain.

"Don't worry about it, Kitten," Alex said with a smile before sipping his coffee. "Should we eat here for lunch?"

"You and Paris should choose," Rory told him.

"Here is perfect," Paris decided. "We need to leave right after lunch, though. I got called in to the hospital tonight."

"Oh, okay," Rory nodded. "Mom, are you going to stay and eat with us?"

"I would love to, but Mommy's got to head to the inn," Lorelai said and then downed her cup of coffee.

"All right, bye," Rory said, kissing her mother's cheek.

"I'll see you later. Bye, you guys," Lorelai said before leaving.

"How are things with you and Jess?" Alex asked, browsing the menu.

"They're good," Rory told him. "Things are still hard with the distance, obviously, but there's nothing I can do about it right now."

"It'll all work itself out eventually," Paris told her. "You just got back together, give it time."

"Ugh, I know. I just hate it," she whined. "Anyway, Alex what are you going to do tonight?"

"Kurt has the night off, I have the night off. We're thinking of a night out and then the morning in… if you know what I mean."

"I always know what you mean," Rory laughed. Luke came over to take their orders.

"Where's Jess?" He asked once everyone had told him their order.

"He's upstairs grabbing his stuff, or maybe he's working," she told him.

"You're not staying here tonight?"

"Mom said we could stay at the inn and we thought we'd mix it up."

"Okay," Luke said, stuffing his notepad into his shirt pocket. "Your food will be right up."

"Thanks," they all said as he turned his back.

"Sometimes I still can't imagine why your mother is married to him," Paris said, not nearly quiet enough.

"Paris, you know their whole story," Rory reminded her. "They're the Ross and Rachel of Stars Hollow. They're the only things that make sense in this crazy town."

"This is a crazy town," Paris mumbled, sitting back in her chair.

"Shut it," Rory said, turning toward Alex. "I wish I had what you and Kurt had."

"Your relationship with Jess is so much better," Alex told her. "You guys have a history and there's no question in how much you care about each other. You work so hard to make things work because the love you have for each other is worth it. You're lucky."

"I guess," she said. Once their food arrived, they changed the subject to softer topics. Alex told them about his new projects and possible future projects. Paris told them about residency and how she thought Doyle would propose any day. Rory talked about a piece she wrote that would be on the front page of Monday's paper.

Once the three of them were finished with lunch, she helped them pack up their things. She walked them out to Paris's car and hugged them both.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said when she pulled away from Alex. "I'll be home in time for dinner." He smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Have fun," he said before sliding into the passenger seat.

"Call me when you figure out your schedule for next week and we can plan dinner or something," she said to Paris.

"I will," Paris told her. "We really have to go. Happy birthday."

"Thanks."

Rory stepped back onto the sidewalk and watched as her friends pulled away from the curb and headed toward the city. She started walking to her mother's house to get her car. She was hoping she wasn't becoming one of those girls whose life stops and focuses solely on her boyfriend, but she was afraid that might be the case.

She didn't have what Paris and Alex had, though. She had to take what little time was offered with Jess and run with it. She hoped her friends and family could see that; she hoped they understood.

She let herself into the house to grab a cup of coffee. The house was all clean, save for a small spread of food left on the counter. Her bedroom door was open and she could see April sitting on the bed, doing homework.

"Hey," Rory said, leaning against the door jam.

"Hi Rory," April said, closing her science book. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just picking up my car," she answered. "How were the kids last night?"

"They were great," April told her. "By the time Lane and Zach left, all three of them were sleeping. I just did my homework all night."

"That's good," Rory said. "It would have been better if you could have come to the party, but at least the kids were easy."

"How was it? I heard Jess showed up."

"He did," Rory said, smiling. "The party was great. Jess and I are fine. Everything worked out well."

"Don't you miss him when he leaves? Just seeing him on the weekends must be really hard," April said and Rory nodded. She let herself into her old room and sat on the bed, curling her foot beneath her.

"It really sucks," she admitted. "I think he's worth it, though."

"How old were you when you and Jess met?" April asked out of nowhere.

"We were seventeen," Rory said. "We didn't start dating until a year later, though. I was with Dean."

"Even though you were with Dean, did you know that you and Jess would end up together?"

"I didn't realize I cared about him all that much until Luke kicked him out and he moved back to New York," Rory started, lying back on the small bed next to April. "When he came back and I kissed him at Sookie's wedding, everything changed. I didn't know what I wanted or who I wanted to be with."

"Your story is like a movie," April told her. "I want what you and Jess have."

"It will happen one day," Rory said, putting her arm around Aprils shoulders. "You're still young; you've got plenty of time to find the man of your dreams."

"When you were sixteen, though, you were with Dean and you were in love," April pointed out. "I'm sixteen and just happy to have boys look in my direction."

"Stop it," Rory laughed. "You're gorgeous. Dean was great and all, but the way it ended really sucked."

"Oh, I've heard all about that," April laughed quietly. "I just can't wait to find someone who isn't such a little boy. Everyone in my grade is so immature."

"I remember that," Rory said. "Within the next year, you'll have boys flocking all around you; good ones, mature ones."

"I hope so," she said.

"I'll let you get back to your homework," Rory said, getting off of the bed. "It's probably time that I get out of this dress."

"I'll see you tonight at dinner?" April asked. "Dad's making a pot roast."

"Count me in," Rory said. "Bye, April."

April smiled and opened her book again. Rory grabbed a coffee and walked out to her car. She drove to the diner with her window open and her music playing softly. She parked outside of the diner and could see Luke and Jess standing behind the counter laughing about something. Jess caught her eye and smiled at her through the window before continuing his conversation with Luke.

She could remember when they could barely stand to be in the same room together. Now they spoke on the phone regularly; they talked about things that mattered. They could joke together, they cold lean on each other; they were a family. She was happy that Jess had Luke to talk to and that Luke was happy to listen.

All of a sudden she saw Dean and his beautiful second wife, Kara, walking across the street toward Luke's. Jess noticed them, too, said something to Luke and walked upstairs. Luke, oblivious to what was happening heard the bell above the door ring and he nodded in understanding. As soon as they were sitting, thankfully with their backs toward the door, Rory got out of her car and walked into the diner. Luke nodded in her direction from behind the counter and she smiled, walking upstairs.

Jess was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a soda. "Hey," he said and she sat across from him.

"Hey," Rory said. She rested her feet on his lap and he rested his hands on her calves.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" He asked, squeezing her ankles softly.

"I would love to," she said, taking her legs back and standing up. She kissed him softly on the lips. "Let me just get dressed."

He kissed her again and nodded. She walked to Jess's old bed where her bag was lying next to it. She picked out a pair of jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt. Jess watched as she got dressed, her back to him. To him, the way she stepped into her jeans or put her arm through her sleeve was perfect. She could do no wrong as far as he was concerned. She fanned her perfectly straight hair out from being tucked in her t-shirt. She sat on the bed and put on her socks and sneakers. She did it all so easily, so beautifully.

"Ready?" She asked, turning around and putting on her jacket.

"I am," he said. He put on his jacket and took her hand. He carried her bag with his free hand. They left the apartment together and entered the diner at the same time. Luke was standing over Dean's table, taking his and Kara's orders. Rory pulled Jess's hand to stop him and they waited at the end of the counter.

"April invited us over for dinner tonight, is that okay?" Rory asked, leaning on her elbows, when Luke came back. Jess stood next to her with his hand on her back.

"Yeah, of course," Luke said. "Oh, but I have to bring her to Anna's by 7:30. So, we'll be eating at 5."

"That sounds perfect," Rory said. "Is that okay with you, Jess?"

"I love a free dinner," he confirmed. "See you tonight, Luke.

"Bye guys," Jess took Rory's hand again and he could feel Dean's eyes on them as they left the diner and stopped to put Rory's bag in her trunk and even as they crossed the street. He kept her hand in his and brought his arm around her shoulders. She felt him kiss the side of her head and she squeezed his hand.

They walked the rest of the way with only a few shared words. For the entirety of the walk, his arm was around her shoulders and she was holding his hand. Their hips bumped with almost every step, but they were used to it. Once they reached the bridge, he unraveled his arm from her neck and pulled her behind him by the hand. She smiled and let him guide her down the small slope to the aging bridge.

He sat down with his feet dangling over the water and finally let go of her hand. She sat down next to him and let him pull her into his side. She curled her legs beneath her and laid her head on his shoulder.

"I love you so much," she said quietly, burying her head in his neck and kissing it softly.

"I love you, too," he said, looking out over the quiet lake.

She rubbed his back and looked out at the lake with him. He let his head fall softly onto hers and held her tighter.

"You're really a grownup now," she said after a few seconds of silence.

"Why do you say that?" He asked with a quiet laugh.

"You just walked away from Dean," she told him, hugging him. "You never would have done that before."

"I have no desire to start anything with Dean," Jess said matter-of-factly. "Neither of us are eighteen anymore."

"I know," she said. "I like that."

"I guess I'm proving myself to you and Luke one avoided confrontation at a time," he said and kissed the top of her head.

"You don't need to prove yourself to either of us," Rory promised. "We both love you."

"Yeah," he said. She sat up to kiss him on the cheek. He rubbed her arm and held her face with his free hand. She smiled at him and he kissed her tenderly. She cupped his face in return and continued the kiss until they were lying on the bridge. They kissed slowly until Jess pushed himself to rest above Rory's body. He pulled away and kissed her forehead. "You're perfect. I'm just trying to match up."

"You're perfect _for_ me," she whispered. He smiled and kissed her again, this time more passionately. She was pulling on his waist as he held himself with one hand and dug his other deep into her hair pulling her toward him. As soon as her hand touched his belt buckle in a fit of passion, his phone rang loudly from his back pocket and they sprang apart like they had been caught. They caught their breath and rolled off her while simultaneously pulling his phone out.

"It's Michael," he said, wiping his face with his free hand.

"Answer it," she instructed, sitting up and letting out a breathy laugh. "It might be about the author."

Jess nodded and answered the phone, sitting up and dangling his feet over the edge as if nothing had happened.

"What's up?" He asked and then cleared his throat.

"We got him," Michael whispered. "He's packing a bag to head to Philly."

"Why are you whispering?" Jess asked, mocking a whisper.

"I'm in his living room," he answered. "I don't want him to hear me gushing like a little girl."

"Okay," Jess laughed. "Well, that's great. He'll be there tomorrow?"

"He's got friends in the city, so he's staying with them tonight and we probably won't see him until Monday night for dinner," Michael said. "Which works out perfectly; Once you're back from your little relationship rehab, you'll have time to get your shit together and sign him."

"I'll be there by tomorrow night," Jess said. "My shit will be together by Monday morning. I'll get him."

"Good," Michael said. "I'll see you tomorrow. Tell the little lady I said hi."

"Will do," Jess replied. "Don't scare him away."

"Yeah, bye asshole."

"Michael says hi," Jess said, sliding his phone into his sweatshirt pocket.

"You got the author?" Rory asked excitedly.

"He's coming to hear us out, see what we can offer him," Jess explained. "He's a college kid; nobody else is knocking down his door. He'll sign with us easy; he's just trying to scare Mike into giving him a free ride to Philly."

"Smart kid," Rory smiled. "Congratulations."

He smiled and kissed her, lingering on her bottom lip. When he pulled away, she nearly fell into his lap, longing to continue. She licked her lips hugged his chest. "I don't want today to end," she whined and he hugged her and pulled her to sit with her legs making a bridge over his.

"We can't have this conversation every weekend," Jess told her, smoothing has hand through her hair. "It rips at my stomach every single time that we do."

"You're right," she said. "Of course you're right."

"Head back to the inn?" He asked, resting his forehead against hers.

"We can finish what Michael just rudely interrupted," she answered. He laughed and stood, pulling her with him. They kissed one last time and he grabbed her hand, sticking it into his pocket with his, and walked back toward the Dragonfly.


	14. Drunk on You

**AN: Hello, hello. That wasn't too bad of a wait, now was it? I would have preferred to get it out earlier, but hey, not too bad. I think I like how this chapter turned out. It's a growth chapter for Rory and we get to know some of Jess's friends a little better, which I enjoyed. **

**The chapter is _Drunk on You_, which is a song by Luke Bryan. I'm throwing some country in there, whoa baby. I love country, so this probably won't be the last chapter with a song title from a country artist. **

**Please read, review, and, most importantly, ENJOY!**

A week after Jess had surprised Rory at her birthday party she was on her way to Philadelphia to visit him. When they left each other on Sunday, he went home and signed the NYU author. He and his roommates took him out for a celebratory dinner and drinks. Rory went back to Boston and dove right into her work. She was starting to seriously consider grad school; she was slowly falling out of love with her career. She worked too hard and got no recognition for it.

Jess was waiting outside of Truncheon when she pulled up. He waved at her and she smiled through the window. She got out and walked right over to him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him.

"Hey," he said when she pulled away. He hugged her to his body and kissed her neck lightly. "How was your week?"

"It was long; I'm glad I'm here," she told him.

"I'm really glad you're here," he agreed. She let go of him and walked to her car, opening the trunk. By the time it was open he was next to her pulling her bag out and putting on his shoulder. She smiled and reached for her laptop bag putting it on her own. They walked into the store where Dylan was standing behind the counter, leaning over a manuscript, his red pen in hand.

"Rory, hey!" He said, putting the pen down and standing straight.

"Hi, Dylan," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm great," he answered.

"Dyl, why aren't you doing that at your desk?" Jess asked and then he heard a disgruntled yell from the adjacent room. "Never mind. Who is it this time?"

"His mom, I think," Dylan told him. "He hung up on his dad about five minutes ago."

"Wait, who is that?" Rory asked, craning her neck to see into the office, but no one was in sight.

"Matthew's parents just told him they're a getting a divorce and he's not taking it very well," Jess explained.

"Oh, poor Matt," Rory said, looking genuinely upset.

"He'll be okay," Jess told her. "He's a tough kid."

"Yeah, he'll find a nice girl to drown his sorrows with tonight," Dylan mentioned. "I'm, apparently, going to be his wingman."

"Well, that should be interesting," Jess laughed. "You can't find a woman to sleep with you, but I'm sure you'll be able to help Matty out."

"Shut up," Dylan said, leaning over his manuscript again.

Rory shook her head as she and Jess continued upstairs to the apartment. "You're mean to him."

"He knows I'm kidding," Jess promised. "Women try to pick him up more than anyone else, he just shuts them down."

"Why would he do that?" Rory asked as they walked down the hall to Jess's bedroom.

"Dylan doesn't want to get hurt again and I respect that, but he's been single and celibate since we hired him. The poor guy just needs to get laid," Jess explained. "You're so romantic," she joked. He rolled his eyes, dropped her bag on his floor, and laid flat on his stomach in his bed. She put her laptop next to her luggage and lay next to him rubbing his back. "Maybe Matt will help him out, too."

"Doubtful," Jess said, turning to look her in the eye. "Matthew is highly competitive and selfish when it comes to women."

"Oh, well, then maybe Dylan will say yes to one of these women someday soon," Rory guessed. Jess shrugged."So, how was your dinner with the new author? What's his name?"

"His name is Marcus and it was good. He went home with a girl when we were finished with him. All thanks to me, of course," he boasted.

"Well, aren't you a good pimp?"

"I am," he said. "I'd never been as proud in my life as I was, watching him leave with a huge smile on his face and his arm around that busty brunette."

"You're disgusting," Rory said, laughing out loud. She rolled onto her back and he pushed himself to lean over her. "You're such a man."

"That's why you love me," he said, kissing her softly. She smiled and kissed him back running her hand down the back of his head.

"I do love you," she admitted, rolling her eyes. He laughed and kissed her again.

"Do you want to go out with them and get drinks?" He asked her, wiping a piece of hair off of her forehead.

"I would love a drink right about now," she told him.

"He's going to rope you into getting girls to go home with him," Jess warned,

getting out of bed.

"I'm happy to help," Rory said. "The poor guy has a lot on his mind, he deserves it."

"No wonder he loves you so much," he said, shaking his head. He pulled a red flannel out of his closet and put it on over his t-shirt. He looked around his messy room until he found his black jacket and put that on, too. Rory was still lying on the bed, watching him. "What?"

"You're so handsome," she told him, smiling. He laughed.

"You sound like my mom," he said. "But thank you."

She got out of bed and kissed him. She put her bag on his bed and dug through it until she found what she was looking for. She was still wearing a skirt from work and knew it was never a good idea to wear a skirt to a bar. So, she took off her heels and her skirt and put on a pair of jeans and boots. She traded her blouse for an olive green v-neck sweater.

She was putting on her leather jacket when, all of a sudden, they heard the front door slam and Matthew walked down the hall and knocked on Jess's door. He gave Rory a sympathetic smile and opened his door, leaning against the jam. "How you doing, pal?" Jess asked.

"So fucking awesome," Matthew answered, his voice flat. "Hi, Rory. Jess, your dad called when I was yelling at mine."

"I'll call him tomorrow," Jess said. "You ready to go out?"

"You ready to find me a girl to bring home? Or two?"

"Yeah," Jess laughed. "We'll do what we can."

"Great," Matthew said, walking back down the hall. "Let's go."

"Looks like we're going," Jess said, turning back to Rory. "Ready?"

"I sure am," she said, smiling. He let her walk ahead of him and closed the door behind them. "Is he going to be okay?" She whispered, turning to Jess.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I hope so."

"Mariano, walk faster," Matthew yelled from the front door. Rory and Jess turned the corner and saw him standing with his head against the door.

"Come on, man," Jess said, patting him on the back. "We'll find you a nice college girl to nail."

"That's why you're my best friend," Matthew said, hugging Jess lazily. The three of them walked down to the store where Dylan was still hovering over the manuscript. "That can wait until Monday, Dyl. Let's go."

"Um, okay," he said, closing the pages on his pen to mark his spot. He ran to the office and grabbed his jacket, meeting them outside. Jess locked the door and when he turned back to his friends Chris and Julia were running across the street to meet them.

"Hey, buddy," Chris said, patting Matthew gently on the shoulder. Julia hugged him tightly and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Matty," she said when she stood next to Chris again. "I know how much this sucks."

"I'll be fine," he said. "Let's just go."

He walked ahead of everyone followed by the guys with Julia and Rory taking up the rear.

"Anyway, how are you doing?" Julia asked.

"I'm doing well, I've just been working a lot," she answered, offering a smile. "How are you? How's the new apartment?"

"It's already a mess," she laughed. "Living with a boy is hard."

"Oh, I know," Rory said. "My roommate is so messy. Thankfully, he mostly keeps it to his bedroom, but he can still be pretty gross."

"You live with a guy?" Julia asked, surprised. "I'm surprised Jess never said anything."

"Well, he's gay," Rory said and Julia laughed. "He's basically my brother; my old, gay brother."

"So, how was your birthday last week?"

"It was great," Rory said. "You guys should definitely come to the next Stars Hollow party my mom throws. They're so much fun. And after Jess and I got over the stupidest fight ever, we had a good time."

"He seemed happy when he came back," Julia said. "Have you guys talked about moving to be closer to each other? Not that it's any of my business, but I can only imagine how hard it is."

Rory shook her head, thinking about her answer. "It's very hard," she said finally. "I did the long distance thing for a while in college, but it's so much more difficult now with Jess. I could never ask him to move away from Truncheon and his friends, though. I never would. So, the real decision has to be made by me."

"But how do you leave your job at the _Boston Globe_? That's not just any paper, that's a major publication in a major city," Julia said. "I wouldn't want to be in your shoes."

"I'm happy to be in my shoes, oddly enough," Rory laughed. "I have Jess and I'll figure everything else out soon enough. I'm not going to drag this on forever. Neither of us deserves that."

"No, you don't," she agreed. "You guys deserve each other. I've never seen him so happy and I don't know you all that well, but you're always bright and shiny when you come to visit."

"I've never been so happy," she admitted. "We'll figure it out. I know we will."

"Sorry to drop this on you," Julia said, laughing shyly. "I just- I want you guys to end up together. We all love you."

"You guys are so great," Rory agreed. "I feel like part of the group and I've only met you guys, like, three times. You're all so welcoming."

"Ladies, keep up," Chris yelled from the corner where the bar was located. "Matthew's threatening to sleep with you if you keep him waiting."

"Gross," Julia muttered as they sped up to meet the men. "I sure hope there are women stupid enough to sleep with you tonight."

"There always are," Matthew said proudly. "Ladies first."

Julia and Rory walked into the bar, Rory squeezed Jess's hand as she passed. Before they could even see the bar itself, Matthew had taken Rory by the wrist and dragged her to a small table.

"I have no desire to sleep with you," he started and Rory nodded. She turned to see the rest of the group laughing, sitting in a booth. "But you have those big, doe eyes. I've seen the way Jess succumbs to you just from one look. I want to use your powers to get me laid and help me forget all about my parent's divorce."

"I'm happy to help," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "But I'm not so sure my 'big, doe eyes' will work on getting straight girls to succumb to you. I've never tried it before."

"Well, tonight's the perfect opportunity, then," he said. She could see honest sadness in his eyes. She really liked Matthew; she had since they first met. She wanted to help him out, so that's what she agreed to do. "Thank you."

"See anyone in particular?" She asked, leaning across the table to get a better view of the room and its prospects.

"There's a blonde behind you, looks to be about 22," he answered. She nodded. "Now, I'm assuming you don't have much experience in the wingman career."

"No, I don't. I'm sorry," Rory said, moving around the table to stand next to him, finding the blonde in question immediately.

"Don't worry about it," he waved off. "I usually can handle things on my own. However, if I want to speed up the process, I need a wingman. Or, in this case, a wing-Rory. I want to try this blind. If Amber, or Courtney, or whatever her name is doesn't pan out there was a red head I spotted on the way in."

"So, what do I do?" She asked, resting her chin on her open palm. "Do I just go up and start talking you up? That seems a little blunt."

"Feign interest in her outfit or something stupid like that," he explained. "After you get the point across that you're not a lesbian, wave to me as if you're seeing me for the first time.'Oh, there's my friend Matt,' is what you should say. Say, 'He sure looks handsome,' or something like that. Gain her interest. I'll wait about a minute, come up and say hello to you, and then take it from there."

"That seems easy enough," Rory thought aloud. "So, I have to gain her trust before shoving her at you."

"I'm sure you know this," Matthew said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "But women aren't stupid. I guarantee you she's been lazily hit on fifteen times so far and she's seen it coming every time, she'll never expect it coming from you."

"You're, like, an evil genius, aren't you?"

"I'd like to think so," he shrugged. Just then, Jess snuck up behind them handing Rory a drink.

"I can't wait to see how this little experiment is going to play out," he joked.

"I'm a little nervous, but I think I can pull it off," Rory admitted.

"You can't lie," Jess told her. "You're really a terrible liar; you always have been."

"I take pride in that fact, thank you very much."

"Whoa," Matthew interrupted, removing his arm from Rory's shoulder. "You need to have some ability to stretch the truth in these situations. Rory, if you're going to let me down, just let me know now."

"I think I can handle it," she told him. "Watch, you two go sit down and I'll do it."

"Good luck," Jess said. He kissed her on the cheek and pulled Matthew over to the booth with Chris and Julia.

Rory watched them walk away. She had to wait a minute before heading over to Matthew's target. She had no idea if she would actually succeed, but she hoped she could for Matthew's sake. Jess and his friends were talking over their drinks and she noticed Matthew look over at her a few times and turned her back to them.

This bar was nothing like the one she hung out at in Boston; there were no businessmen and many more groups of friends. She used to hang out in similar bars when she was with Logan. She'd hated it then; mostly because Logan had a drinking problem (as did his friends). Also, Logan had no problem going out every single night, no matter what they had to do the next day. It was a Friday night; she was comfortable with Jess and his friends. She wasn't faking anything this time around. She was at the bar because she wanted to help Matthew get over his parent's divorce; she wanted to spend time with Jess and keep getting to know his friends.

All of a sudden, Rory felt someone standing behind her. When she turned, she was expecting Matthew with a remark on how slow she was being, or maybe Jess with some comfort. However, standing in front of her was a tall, blond man with biceps that rivaled boulders. "Oh," she said, stepping back so that her back flush against the high rise table.

"Hi, I'm Connor," the man said and she nodded. He stuck his hand out for a handshake and she accepted slowly and weakly. "Can I buy you a drink?"

"No," she laughed, holding her drink up. She glanced over at Jess, but he was in the middle of telling an in-depth story to Chris.

"It's rude to turn down a free drink," he accused, leaning against the table next to her.

"It's rude to hit on another man's girlfriend," she countered, stepping to the right, just enough to put some space between her and Connor.

"If I were your boyfriend, I wouldn't let someone as gorgeous as you into a seedy bar like this alone."

"My boyfriend's here, thank you very much," she told him. "Not that he would ever stop me from coming to any bar. See, he trusts me, but I would understand if he didn't trust people like you."

"No need to be rude, little lady."

"Oh my god," she laughed out loud. "Who do you think you are? I have a name, and it's not 'little lady.' I also have a boyfriend, so I'm not interested. Even if I were single, I wouldn't be interested."

Connor just shook his head and stalked off to the bar. Rory turned back to look at Jess who now had an eyebrow raised in her direction. She waved him off with a smile and walked over to Matthew's target without another thought.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but I love your shirt," Rory said, setting her drink on the table. "Do you mind if I ask where you got it?"

"It was some store in New York," the girl answered. "I don't really remember. But thank you."

"Oh, that's too bad," Rory said. She had no idea how to continue. The girl looked a lot more welcoming than she seemed. She was expecting a bubbly, easy girl. This girl had a wall up, one a rookie like Rory probably couldn't break down. "Well, it's beautiful. Really."

"Thank you," she said. Then, all of a sudden, her eyes lit up and Rory grasped at the hope. "Wait a second; is that a Chanel motorcycle jacket?"

"Actually, no," Rory answered, smiling. "My mom found it in a little vintage shop. Actually, that was in New York, too."

"Oh my god," the girl gushed. "Don't you love when that happens?"

"Oh, yeah," Rory answered. "I'm always shopping in random secondhand shops and vintage stores. You can find a lot of great things."

"There's a great secondhand place down the street," her friend said. "I think Mallory found a Pucci shirt there for, like, twenty-five dollars. Didn't you?"

"Oh yeah, I did," Mallory answered. "Have you ever been? It's great."

"I'm actually not from around here," Rory answered. "I'm visiting my boyfriend. He lives right around the corner, though; maybe I can drag him along tomorrow."

Just then, Rory looked to Jess and Matthew's table. Jess was listening to Dylan, laughing. Matthew was watching, but trying not to be obvious about it. "Oh, I'm sure he'll love that," Mallory's friend joked. The three of them laughed.

"Oh, no, he'll absolutely hate it," Rory said ruefully. "But he'll go just to make me happy, so I can't complain."

"Is he here?" Mallory asked, looking in the direction Rory kept staring off into.

"Oh, yeah," she answered. She pointed to their table. "Oh and Matthew's finally here." She lifted her hand to wave to him and he shifted his gaze to return the wave with a smile.

"Oh, he's gorgeous," Mallory said, standing tall to look at him. He turned to Chris and Rory saw the fist bump they shared underneath the table.

"He's so sweet, too," Rory said, thoughtlessly. "He's a great guy. He's Jess, my boyfriend's, best friend. Thank god for him, or I would have to go running with Jess."

"He's a runner?" Mallory asked, still staring at him from across the bar. "Yeah, he _does_ look like a runner."

"Well, if you guys want to come sit down, there's still some room at the table," Rory offered. Mallory shrugged and grabbed her friend by the hand. The three of them walked over to the table. Jess looked up, smiled and shook his head. He moved over just enough for Rory to slide in next to him. Mallory sat right next to Matthew, pulling her friend along with her.

"I'm Mallory," she said, extending her hand. Rory rested her chin on Jess's shoulder and whispered the word "blunt" into his ear.

"Matthew," he said, shaking her hand firmly and never breaking eye contact. Rory took Jess's hand and led him away from the table, Dylan following along with them.

"So, I saw you making a friend," Jess commented once they reached the bar.

"I wouldn't call her a friend, but I think I succeeded in finding Matthew a respectable hookup," Rory answered, sitting on a stool. Jess and Dylan laughed.

"I think he was talking about the burly, blond man who was standing awfully close to you before you met Matthew's next victim," Dylan said. He waved the bartender over to him and sat down on the stool next to Rory. "Can I have Sam Adams?" The bartender nodded and filled him a glass.

"Oh, you mean Connor," Rory said, smiling. Jess nodded from the seat on her other side. "He was just some pig looking to pick me up. Don't you worry, though, I took care of him."

"I saw that," Jess remarked. "He was like this disturbing mixture of Logan and Dean. It made me a little sick to my stomach."

Rory laughed and hugged him. He rested his hand on her thigh and kissed her neck. He wasn't threatened by other guys and she knew that. But, with everything that had happened between them—things that revolved around both Logan and Dean—were evident in their relationship. They were huge reasons as to why the two of them were apart for so long. She loved him, though, more than anything, and he knew that. They'd known each other long enough and in ways no one else understood, that she could tell if her were joking or actually worried about it. He wasn't worried, he was, actually, highly entertained by it.

"That girl is worse than Morgan," Julia said as she and Chris joined them at the bar.

"She's much hotter," Dylan said, looking over at the table.

"He sure has a type, huh?" Rory asked, looking over at Matthew and Mallory. Mallory's friend had left the table, so the two of them were left alone. She could already see her falling for his every word.

"Oh, yeah; blonde, beautiful, and slightly stupid," Chris said. "Dylan has the exact same type, I bet. Don't you Dyl?"

"I have never found one of Matthew's conquests unattractive," he answered evasively. "Where did her friend go?"

"Why?" Julia asked. "Is it time to for you to get back up on that horse?"

"Not quite," he answered. "She was hot too, though."

"Sorry, pal," Chris said with a soft pat on his shoulder. "Her boyfriend called and she had to go service him."

"That's a lovely way of putting it, Christopher," Jess laughed.

The five of them remained at the bar, talking, laughing and drinking. The more drinks that Rory consumed, the more she was getting touchy with Jess. It wasn't normal behavior for Rory, but no one noticed because they were drinking more so than she. Julia was sitting in Chris's lap and Dylan was actually conversing with a girl. In fact, Rory believed it was the same redhead that Christopher had mentioned as a back up to Mallory. And, of course, Dylan had made no move on her, but instead, she introduced herself to him and was the one trying to get him home.

"You're drunk," Jess breathed into her ear. He pulled her chair closer to him and kissed her neck. "I've never seen you this drunk."

Rory put both of her hands on his chest and kissed him softly. It was a kiss reminiscent of a teenager's first; chaste and sweet. It drove Jess insane as she rested her forehead against his. "I like that you're a happy drunk," she told him. His hands were gripping her thighs and he smiled. "I like when you smile."

"I like when you're here," he said. "You belong here… with me."

"I belong with you," she agreed. He kissed her, slowly, drawing her closer.

"You belong in a bedroom," Dylan coughed. Rory and Jess both laughed and Jess shrugged pulling her with him. They stumbled past Matthew and his new friend, still sitting in the booth they had evacuated hours ago. Matthew mouthed the words, "I love you," to Rory as they walked on and then he went back to playing with Mallory's hair and whispering in her ear.

When Rory woke up the next morning, Jess was asleep on his stomach. His room was more of a mess than usual; his lamp was on the floor, her pants were on his desk, his flannel was draped across his nightstand, and one of her boots was hanging over his desk chair. When she sat up, her head felt like it was going to fall off. She rested against his headboard and pulled the covers up to her neck because it was getting colder and colder every day. She looked around the room for the rest of her clothes, and saw them all on the floor near Jess's dresser. His clothes were strewn about as well, but for some reason, hers had taken over the entire room.

Rory got out of bed and put on a pair of sweatpants she had packed, her bra, and one of her many Yale t-shirts. She left Jess's room quietly and headed for the kitchen. She started a pot of coffee and sat on the counter while it brewed. When she rested her head back against a cabinet, she heard a door open down the hall. When she looked, Jess was walking toward her in a pair of basketball shorts and a grey hoodie.

"Morning," he said and Rory shushed him immediately.

"No talking until the coffee is finished," she said. He continued walking until he was standing directly in front of her. She pulled on his hand and he stepped closer until his head was resting on her chest. Her legs went around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. She rested her chin on the top of his head. She rubbed his shoulders as he held onto her waist, listening to the coffee dripping into the pot.

All of a sudden Jess felt Rory's legs fall from around him and he heard footsteps behind him. "Jess," Rory whispered. He stood up and turned around to see the redhead Dylan had been talking to when they left.

"Hi," she said, waving from the spot where she froze in the living room. "I didn't know anyone was up, I offered to make Dylan some coffee."

"It's not a big deal," Jess told her. "The coffee should be done any minute. Ror, can you grab the cups?"

"Of course," she answered, sliding off of the counter. She took four mugs down from the cabinet she had been resting against while Jess walked down the hall to the bathroom. "I'm Rory, by the way."

"I'm Cassie," she replied. "I'm so embarrassed, I never do this."

"Don't be embarrassed," Rory said with a warm smile. "Dylan's a great guy."

"He's so sweet and he is absolutely the most handsome I've ever seen," Cassie admitted. "It's so unlike me to ever go up and hit on a guy, but leave it to a few martinis and an Adonis like Dylan to change my ways."

"Honestly, don't worry about it," Rory promised. "No one will judge you here."

"Good morning, sunshine," Julia called as she and Chris walked into the apartment, stopping short when they noticed Cassie. "Hello."

"Morning, guys," Rory called. "Want some coffee?"

"We've got coffee," Chris said, smiling. "And we also brought some baked goods for the apartment. "

"Oh my god, you guys are the greatest," Rory said taking the box from Julia and putting it on the counter. She filled each mug and handed two to Cassie. "Come out and join us whenever you're ready."

"Thanks," she said with an awkward smile. The three of them watched her walk back to Dylan's room and close the door with her foot.

"Oh my god," Julia stage whispered, sitting at the dining room table. "Baby Dyl brought home a girl."

"Way to go, Dylan," Chris said. "Where's Jess?"

"He went to the bathroom," she told them, sitting across from them with coffee and a donut. "Matthew brought that girl home, right?"

"Oh, he sure did," Julia laughed. "They left right behind us and we could hear them sucking face the entire way here."

"Oh, that sounds spectacular," Rory grimaced. "Oh man, my head is killing me."

"I want to cut my head right off," Chris said. "I'm never drinking again."

"Yeah right," Jess laughed, walking into the kitchen and pouring his coffee. "Donuts?"

"Eat them," Julia told him and he took two and sat down next to Rory. "I wonder when we'll get to see Matthew and his little friend."

"I heard them talking when I went to the bathroom," Jess told them, mouth full of donut. "So, it probably won't be much longer."

"So, Rory," Chris said, "You didn't do so badly for being a rookie. You got Matthew the first girl he showed interest in last night. That's very impressive."

"Want to know something funny?" She asked, pulling her legs to her chest.

"Always," Julia answered, smiling.

"Well, when Matthew was prepping me for my attack on Mallory, he mentioned that if things didn't work out with her, then I would move on to pick up Cassie for him."

"They literally have the exact same taste in women," Jess laughed. "It's weird."

They all laughed until they saw Matthew walk down the hallway with Mallory. "Good morning, all," he said. They took the last two seats at the table.

"Good morning," they said in unison.

"It's like breakfast with the Brady's," Matthew joked. "We're going to go get some breakfast. I'll be back in a little while to open the store."

"Well, you enjoy your breakfast," Chris told him. "Bye Mallory."

"Bye," Jess, Rory, and Julia said.

"Bye, it was good to see you again," Mallory said and she followed Matthew to where he was holding the door open for her.

"I bet you Dylan won't show his face," Jess said. "He's made such a big deal about his no women pact to himself; the poor guy probably hates himself."

"I assume he's pretty happy with himself," Chris said. "I mean, that woman is gorgeous. And every woman thinks Dylan is gorgeous. Even with his awkward, shy thing he's got going for him women throw themselves at him on a daily basis. He finally decided one was worthy enough to take home."

"Good for both of them," Julia said. "It was high time for Dylan to get laid. I know he had some tough times with his ex, but he's a young kid, he needs some lovin'."

"Oh, well he got it all right," Jess said and they all laughed.

Rory loved Boston and she had a good job. She loved her apartment and she absolutely adored Alex. Being with Jess and all of his friends in his grownup life, though, felt right. She knew she would end up going to Philadelphia; she knew it without a doubt. She could go to grad school close by, get her own apartment, and be with Jess all of the time. She could find a job at a local paper; it wasn't like Philadelphia was a small town, there would be opportunities. She just had to find the right time, the right place. She had to talk to Jess. She had to talk to Alex. She had to go over it with her mom.


	15. Our Deal

**AN: So, here's the next chapter. So quick. However, I can already tell you it's gonna be awhile for the next one because school starts next week. I won't forget you, though. So keep reading and reviewing :)**

_**Our Deal**_** by Best Coast. **

"Hey, Rory," Jess called from the living room. She had been working in his room, or at least trying to while he and Matthew worked in the store. Dylan and his little friend had left an hour after breakfast and hadn't been seen since. She shut her computer and met him in the living room, wearing the hoodie he wore at breakfast.

"What's up?" She asked, sliding onto the couch next to him. He put his arm around her shoulders and she let her head fall softly onto his.

"I just got off the phone with my dad," he told her and she nodded, wanting him to continue. "My stepmom just had a baby boy."

"Wow," Rory said, slightly laughing. "You're, like, the oldest sibling in the world."

"I know, it's unnatural," he laughed. "Anyway, they want me to go out there and visit. I haven't been out there in a couple of years."

"Oh," Rory said. "Where is 'out there'? Do they still live in California?"

"Yeah," Jess answered.

They could both feel the tension between them. They knew how California and Jimmy had factored into their relationship before. It's not that Rory didn't want Jess to have a relationship with his dad; it was just that their relationship had ended _due_ to his dad, among other things. She hated thinking about him leaving her then; it was the realest heartbreak she had ever felt.

"You should go," she told him anyway. "If they want you to visit, then you should. You should meet your new brother and see your dad."

"I think I'm going to," he told her. "It probably won't be until next month because they want to get settled with him and all, but I do want to go out there. I could use a vacation."

"How long would you go for do you think?"

"I think I'll leave Thanksgiving night and stay the week," he told her. "Luke invited me there for Thanksgiving, so I figure I'd go to Stars Hollow and fly out from Hartford."

"I'm happy you're coming to Stars Hollow," she told him and kissed him on the cheek. "My grandparents are going to be there."

"Oh, how fun," he remarked. "Do you think you could take that week off and come with me?"

"To your dad's?"

"Yeah," he answered. "They're kind of nuts, I'll need you to keep me sane."

"I would love to go with you," she answered. She hugged his chest and laid her legs across his lap. "How close are you with your dad?"

"Not very; I mean, I call him by his first name. When he comes here, we spend, maybe, two hours together over three days. Matthew loves him, though. When I go there, I stay in a hotel and when I am at their house, I spend time hovered in a corner next to my stepsister reading or discussing reading," he explained. "He's a good guy, though. Kind of goofy, but he was married to my mom, so you have to expect that at least a little."

"What's he like? Do you take after him at all?" She asked him.

"Why are you so curious?" He asked, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

"I've never heard you talk about him," she answered. "I've always been a little curious."

He sighed, but answered her question. "I guess I do. He's got good taste in music and in books. I look like him. His wife is cool—absolutely insane, so he clearly has a type—but she's really nice. He loves her daughter, like a lot; she's pretty cool. He owns a chain of hot dog stands on the beach and he loves his pickles."

"You've got a stepmom and a stepsister," she said, shaking her head. "I can't picture it. I can barely picture you with a father."

"Yeah, well, up until I was seventeen I didn't even acknowledge the fact I had a father _or _a mother," he told her. "I don't know, we've all grown up a lot, I guess."

"I love you," Rory told him. He looked at her, surprised. "Jess, you're, like, this whole new person. You're so mature and realistic. And you're forgiving and you have so many people in your life. You've grown up to be a real, good man."

"Rory," he scoffed, holding her to him. He was so grateful to hear such praise from her, but he was certain he didn't deserve any of it. "I'm mediocre at best."

"Shut up, you're an idiot," she laughed and kissed him. He held her face in his hands and reciprocated eagerly. She pulled away, smiling, and rested her forehead against his. "How's the writing going?"

"It's actually going really well," he answered before licking his lips. "I've been writing for about a month and have almost two hundred pages done. Matthew's on my back about reading it, so I have to finish the section I'm working on by next week. But that shouldn't be an issue."

"What's it about?" She asked him, putting her big doe eyes to work.

"I don't really want to talk about it," he said with a bit of a laugh. "I don't like talking about it. I just write, give it to Matthew and make the changes. He talks about it, I nod."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to wait for it to come out, then."

"Yeah, sorry," he told her. "I'm weird about my writing. I hate that people read it."

"A lot of people," she reminded him with a smile. "You're a well-received author, my handsome friend."

"Yes, well, I think people are crazy. And I think my writing is merely above average."

"Jesus, Jess," she laughed. "I'm a literature snob. You know that. I love your writing."

"You love me," he corrected. "There's a difference."

"My mom doesn't love you. Paris doesn't love you. Alex doesn't love you. My grandfather does not love you."

"Your grandfather has read one of my books?"

"Yes, and I didn't even suggest it to him," she told him. "He actually suggested it to me. He said it was very well done, a little young for his taste, but he respected the author, whoever that was."

"Which book?" He asked. "When was this?"

"He read _The Subsect_," she told him. "It was about a year ago, I think."

"That's weird," he admitted. "Did you tell him who I was?"

"No," she said, remorsefully. "I didn't know how to then. I just said that I read it and loved it."

"It's kind of an inappropriate book for your grandfather to read," he said, grimacing. "I hope he doesn't realize who I am when I meet him."

"Well, he didn't read it as his granddaughter's boyfriend's book," she reminded. "He just read it as Jess Mariano's debut novel."

"Still," he said. She laughed and kissed him softly. They sat together, tangled on the brown leather couch. He played with the end of her ponytail while she played with his fingers that rested on her thigh.

"Hey, Jess?"

"Yeah, Ror?"

"I think I'm going to apply to grad school," she told him.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't yet," he said. "Where are you looking to apply?" He asked and hoped for an answer that would keep them together and in closer proximity to one another, but he couldn't say that; it wasn't his place.

"Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia," she listed. "UPenn."

"That would be awfully convenient," he whispered.

"That's why it's my first choice."

"You can't make a decision based on me, Rory," he sighed.

"It wouldn't be based on you, per se," she told him. "Jess, I want to be with you and I want to be _here _with you. You said so last night; you said I belong here with you."

"It's not about me, though, Rory. It's about _you_ and _your_ career and _your_ future."

"I'm not saying that I'm going to UPenn, Jess," she explained, untangling herself from him. "But if I get accepted, why not? In five years I could have my PhD, live here, be with you, and be happy."

"Rory, I want you here more than anything," he said, reaching for her hand. "But I don't want you to resent it. I don't want you to resent me."

"Are you listening to me at all, Jess?" She asked, squeezing his hand. She wasn't mad, but she wanted him to understand. "I want to be with you for the next five years. I want to be with you for the next _fifty_ years, so I wouldn't regret anything. I love Philadelphia and your friends and the life you've created for yourself. I want to be a part of it. I want to be a part of your future. _I_ want this."

"Okay," he relented. "If you're sure."

"I am," she told him. He nodded and kissed her softly. "Do you have to go back to work?"

"I'm done," he answered. "Matthew will close in about an hour. It was pretty busy today, so we feel like we can close up early."

"Did he say how things went with Mallory last night?"

"Well, he said they slept together, which we already knew," Jess told her. "But, he also said that they're going out sometime this week. That's a big step for Matty; if it starts as a one night stand, that's how it usually ends."

"Well, good for him!" Rory said, genuinely delighted. "What if I found him his future girlfriend?"

"Then, if they break up, he'll blame you for getting his heart broken," Jess said. "And if they get married, he'll blame you for imprisoning him."

"Marriage equals imprisonment?" Rory asked, taken aback. "Is that how you see it?"

"Whoa, this has nothing to do with me," Jess said, laughing. "That's how Matthew sees it. And he's probably less keen on the idea of marriage now that his parents are getting a divorce."

"Well, it's one date," Rory said. "It probably won't lead to much. Matthew was pretty messed up last night."

"You're probably right, but I'll keep you updated."

Rory cuddled into his side and he held her tight, kissing her forehead. "So, next weekend you guys have that conference in Seattle, right?" She asked while she ran her hand through his hair.

"Yeah," he answered. "Thursday through Monday, Julia's running the store for us Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise, we'd be screwed."

"I love Seattle," she told him. "That was one of my favorite cities when I did Obama's press tour."

"I've never been," he admitted. "Dylan and I are going to Chicago in few weeks; that's one of my favorite cities."

"I love it there, too," she agreed. "Do you have an author out there?"

"Dylan is trying to sign one," Jess explained. "He's never gone through the whole process before. So, we're going Wednesday after Seattle until Friday morning. I'm going to help Dyl sign some girl who's submitted short stories to the 'zine. She just finished her first novel and she's sent it to a few places and we want it; it's fantastic. I think she's only, like, nineteen, too."

"Wow, good for her," Rory said. "I wish I could write a novel. The only stories I can write are news stories. I don't have the creativity that you seem to have an abundance of."

"If you thought of a plotline, you could write a novel," Jess told her. "You're smart enough and, despite what you think, creative enough to get a story out."

"Well, lucky for the world, I don't have a huge desire to write a book," she laughed. "I'll stick to my facts, thank you very much."

"Rory!" Matthew yelled as he, Dylan, and Chris walked into the apartment. She and Jess sprang apart at the sudden interruption.

"Yes, Matthew?" She asked. He sat on the other side of her on the couch while Chris and Dylan sat on the two chairs, all three of them staring at her.

"We need your opinion on a very sensitive matter," Dylan answered.

"We need your absolute honesty," Chris interjected.

"Oh my god, good luck with this," Jess laughed, walking to the kitchen to get a beer.

"Rory Gilmore," Matthew started. "Who do you find more attractive of the three of us?"

Jess and Rory both laughed, but the other three sat stoic, waiting for her response. "I'm not answering that," she said, her laughter subsiding. "Two of you would get hurt, and I don't want to hurt you."

"Julia answered the question when it came to me, Jess, and Dylan," Matthew told her.

"You're all attractive in your own ways," she argued.

"But you know that one of us is more attractive than the other two," Chris said. "It's just a bet, and I don't even expect to win. So, I would say the real question is who is the most attractive between Matt and Dylan?"

"I'm not answering that," she said again.

"Rory, Chris and I already know what the answer is," Jess said, leaning against the counter. "Everyone knows what the answer is."

"This is a mean bet," she told them. "I don't want to play this game."

"We can take it, Rory," Matthew told her. "I promise you."

"You're both attractive," she said, looking between the two. "Matthew's got that All-American thing going for him. Dylan's got the mysterious thing going for him. I don't know."

"Well, Jess has the mysterious thing going for him, so I'm going to assume you choose me," Dylan said triumphantly.

"Yeah, I think I do," she said, cringing. "But, Matthew, you're plenty attractive. The four of you guys together in one place makes me feel highly inferior."

"What is it about Dylan?" Jess asked, smirking.

Rory looked around the room; they were all staring at her. "He's tall. He has thick, dark hair and bright blue eyes. He has the perfect amount of scruff at all times. He's well dressed. He's shy and quiet, so girls want to know more about him. But, Matt's got all of that except for the blue eyes and a few inches."

"Don't worry, Rory," Chris said while Matthew shook his head and joined Jess in the kitchen. "It's an undisputable fact that women find Dylan more attractive. And now that he's back on the market, Matthew is worried it's going to ruin his game."

"It's stupid, though," Dylan told her. "I had sex with one girl. I'm not looking to turn into Matthew. One of him is enough. I'm a relationship guy, I wavered with Cassie."

"I thought you said you're going out with her again," Matthew said.

"I heard you're going out with Mallory again," Rory chimed in.

"He is," Dylan confirmed. "And I like Cassie, so yes we're going out again."

"Mallory's hot," Matthew told them. "She really likes me, so why not milk it for all its worth."

"I'm never letting you near my sister," said Dylan as he stood up from his seat and joined Jess and Matthew in the kitchen. Jess had pushed himself to sit on the counter while Dylan and Matthew opted for the table.

"I didn't even know you had a sister!" Matthew yelled. "How could you not tell me that?"

"I think it's because you're a man whore," Chris suggested. "And he never had any intention of letting you near her and your most recent remark cemented that idea."

"You're all assholes," Matthew huffed. "Except for Rory. Even though she thinks Dylan is better looking than I am, she's still better than the three of you."

"What did I do?" Jess asked, laughing. "I haven't said anything."

"Exactly, asshole. Exactly."

"It's not a secret that you sleep around, Matt," Jess argued. "If my sister was older, I wouldn't let you near her either."

"Come on! I wouldn't sleep with either of your sisters," Matthew yelled. "You're my friends; I have morals! Rory, do you have sisters?"

"I have a stepsister and a half sister," she answered. "They're both underage, so I'm not worried."

"If April were two years older, how would you feel about it?" Jess asked.

"I think he's telling the truth," she argued. "I believe he has morals. I think that he is kind enough not to sleep with my stepsister, or _your _cousin, for that matter."

"Thank you, Rory," Matthew said, triumphant. "No offense, but it still irks me that you two share relatives."

"Yeah, dude," Chris agreed. "Her mom is technically your aunt. Does your sister call her Auntie Lorelai?"

"I don't think so," Jess answered, shaking his head.

"We dated long before they did," Rory told them. "Luke and my mom belong together, without a doubt, but we dated first. We had seniority."

"They were already married when you two got back together, though," Matthew reminded them. "Marriage beats dating."

"We're done talking about this," Jess said and Rory nodded in firm agreement. "Forever."

"It creeps you out, too!" Dylan accused, pointing his finger at Jess.

"No it doesn't! We share no bloodlines, and that is all that matters."

"We're a perfectly normal, natural couple," Rory said with finality. She sat next to Jess on the counter and took the beer from his hands. She took a sip and handed it back to him.

"I should go," Chris announced, rising from the couch. "We're supposed to go Julia's parents' house tomorrow, so I've got to try and convince her to let me stay home."

"Her parents are awesome," Matthew told him.

"You're not dating their daughter," Chris reminded him. "You're also not black."

"They don't care that you're black," Jess laughed.

"That's what everyone says, but I'm convinced they're hiding some serious racial issues," Chris told them. Matthew and Jess erupted with laughter. Julia's parents were easily the nicest couple they had ever met. As far as they were concerned, Chris was crazy and he was lucky to be dating Julia for her parents alone. They also knew that they really liked Chris and he was just paranoid.

"Go home," Jess instructed and Chris left with his head hanging. "I'm hungry. Want to go grab dinner?"

"Yes!" Matthew yelled. "Let's do it!"

"I, uh, think he was talking to Rory," Dylan said, patting him on the shoulder. "We can order a pizza and play a videogame."

"All I get is pizza and a videogame?" Matthew asked. "Apparently I'm a cheap date."

"Let's go, Ror," Jess said, hopping off the counter.

"Do you guys want anything while we're out?" Rory asked.

"I would like two new roommates and three new business partners, please," Matthew answered. He and Dylan sat on the couch and picked their controllers up from the table.

"Done," Jess told him.

After Jess and Rory got their coats, they headed outside. As they walked to find something they both wanted to eat—which was never an easy task for the two—they talked about little things. Before Matthew and Dylan's "very sensitive" matter, they had touched upon two large topics. Rory was very nervous about going to California and meeting the rest of Jess's family. She was nervous about picking up her life and moving to Philadelphia. She wanted it, but any big change is scary.

Jess had kept a pretty steady relationship with Jimmy and his family since he left California. He didn't want Rory to feel pressured to join him after Thanksgiving, but he wanted her with him. He didn't want the sensitive subject of California to start another fight between them. He would never forgive himself for leaving Stars Hollow without so much as a goodbye, but she, thankfully, had been able to. Plus, Rory's major development in grad school scared the crap out of him. It wasn't so much that she would be in Philadelphia, that was exactly what he wanted. It was everything else that came with it. He didn't want her to have to struggle to find a job that would put her through school, or to find an apartment that would suit her and not cost too much. He didn't want Rory to move to Philadelphia if he was going to fail her again. It wasn't in his plans, but he couldn't see the future. He hoped that all the growing up he had done was enough to keep him successful and happy and with Rory.

"So, I'm guessing you won't be able to come to Boston after Chicago," Rory said when they were laying in bed, tangled in the sheets.

"I haven't figured that out yet," Jess admitted. "I kind of feel bad even asking, but I'm going to."

"You don't have to," she told him and kissed his chest lightly. "You stay here and get some work done. I mean, you will have been gone for an entire week. Come up the next week."

"Are you sure?" He asked with a kiss. "Two weeks will suck."

"It will, but we can't brush off the rest of our lives just to spend time together," she told him. "You need to work, you need to write. I understand that. I admire it, in fact. Plus, in a month or so, we're going to be able to spend an entire week together. Maybe that will sway me from moving to Philadelphia; too much time with you."

"Shut up," he laughed. She hugged him tight and buried her face in his neck.

"Jess?" She whispered. He grunted in response and rubbed her back. "When we were kids did you ever imagine us like this?"

"I was eighteen," he said with a quiet laughed. "All I thought about was lying naked with you in bed."

"No, asshole," she laughed and swatted his chest. "I mean, did you think we would be here at 26?"

"No," he said honestly. "Even if I had graduated and stayed around, I, uh… I wasn't delusional enough to think you'd stay with me."

"How long do you think it would have lasted?" She asked and he could hear the sadness in her voice.

"I don't know," he said. "I think that it turned out better this way."

"Me too," she said. "You're probably right. We would have fought and you would have resented staying in Stars Hollow while I was at Yale."

"I would have ended up leaving eventually," he admitted. "Why do you ask anyway?"

"I was just curious," she said. "I didn't either, if it's any consolation."

"I'm not sure if that's supposed to console me," he laughed. "Whatever, here we are."

"And here we shall stay," she said. He pulled her to lie on top of him and kissed her, framing her face with his hands. She licked her lips when they separated and rested her forehead against his. "While you're in Seattle, I'm having lunch with my dad to talk about going to grad school. Too bad you won't be there, I'm sure he'd love to meet you."

"I'm sure he wouldn't," Jess said. "I think he knows about the whole car accident thing and the fact I'm his ex-wife's husband's nephew."

"That's true," she said, nodding. "He'd hate you by default. "That'll be awkward when you eventually have to meet him."

"Not looking forward to it," Jess admitted. "What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Earlier than usual," she said. "I've got to get a story done, so probably around eleven."

"You'll get your story done and I have to finish up this section of the new book," he said. "The couple that writes together…"


	16. My Little Girl

**Sorry for the delay! School's done and I'll be graduating soon so hopefully I'll be able to finish up this story. This chapter is called _My Little Girl_ which is a song by Tim McGraw. Love it and I think it fits with a chapter that opens with a Rory and Christopher scene**. **Also, I'm almost finished with the next chapter so it should be up VERY soon.**

**Read, review, and enjoy!**

"Hi Dad!" Rory said when he opened his front door. She kissed him on the cheek and he led her into his house. "Hey Georgia."

"It's Gigi," she said, staring at the television. Rory looked at her dad and he shrugged.

"Back to Gigi?" Both Chris and Gigi nodded. "You change your name more than P. Diddy."

"I don't know who that is," she retorted, finally tearing her eyes away and looking at her sister.

"I know," Rory smiled. "What are you watching?"

"Something stupid," she laughed. Rory smiled. Gigi was the most beautiful little girl she had ever seen. With her blond hair and bright green eyes, she had a tiny frame, even for a nine year old. She was still a little selfish, but she had become much more charming with age. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"Yes, I am," Rory answered. "Maybe we could watch something stupid together after we're done eating."

"Okay!"

Rory finally turned her attention toward her dad and he ushered her into his kitchen and pulled a chair out for her to sit in at the table. "So, Rory, I was thinking about how small your apartment is," he began and Rory shook her head, smiling. "It's terrible, really, and you and Alex could use something much larger."

"Thank you, Dad; I love when people greet me with insults," she joked. "And, my apartment is fine for now."

"For now? So, you want me to buy you a new one?" Chris asked, lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"No, Dad, that's not what I was saying," Rory laughed. "I don't need a house. That's not why I came to talk to you."

"Well, what is this big mystery then?" he asked, sitting back in his seat.

"I want to go back to school," she started and he leaned forward again. "And I could pay for it, but it would be great if you wanted to help with that."

"Are you kidding me?" He asked, incredulously. "Of course I'll help you. I will pay for the entire thing, applications and all. Where are you looking?"

"First off, I can handle the application fees, but thank you," she told him, smiling from ear to ear. "And secondly, I'm looking in Boston, but I really want to go to University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia."

"That's great; I'll buy you a house there," Chris thought aloud. Rory laid her head on her folded hands in exhaustion.

"Dad, you don't need to buy me a house, honestly," she said, picking her head up again. "When I need a house, I'll buy it."

"Not an option," Chris shook his head. "You and Gigi are all set when it comes to schooling and houses. You should just accept that now."

"We'll deal with it when it comes to that point," she told him. "I'm really grateful for the opportunity to go to grad school, though. So, thank you for that."

"You'll love Philadelphia," he told her. "It's probably one of my favorite cities in the country. "

"I love it there," she admitted. "I've spending a lot of time there."

"Looking at schools?"

"My boyfriend lives there, actually," she said, letting out a breath. "I go visit him almost every other weekend and he comes here the other weekends."

"How long have you two been seeing each other?"

"It's complicated," she warned him. "It doesn't sound like it's been a long time and, I guess, it really hasn't. I've known him a really long time, though, and we've dated before. And he is a big reason that I want to go to Philly, but he's not the only reason. It's a great school and I'd fit in there. Philadelphia, with or without Jess, is also one of my favorite cities."

"Jess?" He asked, recognizing the name, but not quite able to place it. "When did you date him?"

"Senior year of high school," she told him and then sat back waiting for realization to dawn on him. She saw his face change from confusion to… disappointment? "Dad, it's really different now. He's grown up a lot. He's a published novelist and he is a much better driver."

"I don't like it, Kid," he told her. "Isn't he the one that moved to California without so much as a goodbye?"

"Yes, Dad, but he's an adult now," she argued. "I would trust him with my life."

"If you say so," Chris shrugged.

"I do, and I mean it. I promise." Chris nodded and got up from his seat to walk into the living room to check on Gigi. Rory hit her head twice against the table in frustration. She knew he would react like that, but she was hoping for the opposite. She picked her head up when she heard Chris come back into the room.

"Want something to drink?" he asked, opening the fridge. "Coke?"

"That's great," she answered. He sat down and asked her about how work was and they continued the evening without any mention of Jess or school. She really was grateful for the opportunity to go back to school. Despite what she had told her dad, there was no way she could afford to do it on her own. His help was necessary and she was doing all she could to not jump up and down in happiness.

When she started at the _Globe_, she was so excited. She loved her job and she loved everyone that she worked with. Over the years, though, she got too comfortable and she got bored. She realized that writing about politics was not what she wanted to do; it wasn't what she loved anymore. She wasn't quite sure what it was she wanted to write about, but she was determined to find out.

After dinner she and Gigi watched some show on the Disney Channel and it reminded Rory how thankful she was for having a mother with great taste and an iron fist when it came to the television. She hugged and thanked Chris one more time before leaving and walked home. Every time she went to visit her dad or he came to visit her, it reminded her how, now as a grownup, he was so much closer to her than he ever was when she was a kid; physically and emotionally.

When she got home, Alex was sitting on the couch sketching while Kurt was cooking in the kitchen. Alex's hands moved so quickly when he drew and Rory was always mesmerized by them. He looked up quickly, flashing a smile before jumping back into his work. She hung her coat up by the door, went to the kitchen and grabbed a coke before sitting at the small dining table.

"I'm making baked ziti for dinner," Kurt told her while he slipped it into the oven. "Do you want to eat with us?"

"No thanks," she smiled. "I just had dinner with my dad."

"Oh yeah," he nodded, sitting across from her. "Alex told me about that. Are you close with your dad? I've only ever heard you talk about your mom."

"I love my dad, but we have a very different relationship than my mother and I. She's my best friend," she explained. "Do your parents live around here?"

"No," he answered, shaking his head sadly. "They live in Florida and my sisters live in California. It's just me here in Boston."

"I bet that's hard," she said.

"It used to be, but I've made my own little family here in Boston. Plus, we're all going down to Florida for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so we'll be sick of each other by New Years," he laughed. Just then, Rory's phone rang and she dug into her pocket to check who was calling: Jess.

"I have to take this," she said with a smile. "Dinner smells fantastic, by the way."

"Thanks," he called out and she walked to her bedroom, closing the door behind her and nestling into her bed.

"Hey you," she answered the phone. "How's it going?"

"It's insane," he answered. "It will not stop raining. I hate it here."

"Only a little while longer," she told him. "I talked to my dad today; told him all about going back to school and going to Philadelphia. I told him about you and me and he offered to buy me a house in Philadelphia on top of paying for school."

"That's a lot of information to take in," Jess laughed. "He's buying you a house? In Philadelphia?"

"He offered," she explained. "I won't let him buy me one now. Apparently, I don't have an option in the long run. My sister and I will both be receiving houses one day."

"You should let him buy you a house," he pushed. "It would cut down on the rent you'll be paying. Speaking of rent, have you talked to Alex about this yet?"

"No," she said, covering her face with a pillow and then lowered it again. "But he'll understand. He knows I don't love my job and he knows that I've always wanted to go back to school. He knows I'm going crazy without you."

"You should still talk to him," he told her. "If you get accepted, you'll be moving here within the year. He deserves to know that. You're his best friend and you should give him some notice. That's all I'm saying."

"And you're right, as always," she whined.

"Don't pout," he said and they both laughed. "I miss you, though. I really, as selfish as it may be, I really want you to move to Philadelphia."

"I do too, Jess."

"I just wanted to call and say hi, and see how you were. I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing."

"I love you," she whispered. "Call me when you get back, please."

"I love you, too."

Rory stretched out in her bed and gently tossed her phone onto her bedside table. Jess was right; she had to talk to Alex about grad school and moving out. She was right, too, though; she had time. She would tell him when she heard back from the schools she was applying to. She was going to mail her applications by the end of the month; she just had to write the essays. She always knew she would go back to school; it was only a matter of time before she felt comfortable enough to go through with it. Now, she was desperate to go back and start a whole new life.

While Alex and Kurt were living their lives together, in the same city at the same time, she and Jess were living their lives together in different cities hours apart. Rory was jealous; she was jealous of Alex and Kurt and of Paris and Doyle. It blew her mind, though. She and Jess only just got back together. She didn't understand how her feelings could be so strong. She never felt like this, not with any of her past boyfriends.

It scared her, too. She didn't want the passion to fade away. She didn't want to love him so strongly now, and watch it disappear after a few months. The first time she and Jess dated, she loved him until the very end and it only ended because _he _disappeared. They didn't spend enough time as a couple to see how long the passion would last. She was sure it wouldn't happen the same way this time around, but the thought was always present in the back of her mind. And she hated herself for it. She trusted him. She loved him. And she knew how much he loved her.


	17. Never Let You Go

**Hey! I told you this would be up quick. I'm going to start really winding this story down to the ending. I think this chapter is the real beginning of that. I hope you like it. The chapter is called _Never Let You Go _which is a song by Third Eye Blind which is arguably one one of the greatest bands of all time. So, read, review, and enjoy everyone!**

The night before Thanksgiving, Rory was unpacking her bag in the apartment above the diner. She could hear Luke and Caesar moving around in the kitchen closing up for the night. When she heard the bells ring above the door for the last time she put her music on and began dancing between her bag and the dresser, throwing her arms in the air and twirling. She was so focused on the music and not falling that she didn't hear the footsteps on the stairs or the knock on the door. She did, however, see the three men standing in the doorway; two were laughing while the one that mattered was leaning against the doorframe smirking and shaking his head.

"Holy shit!" She yelled, falling onto the bed in embarrassment. "What are you doing here? I thought you were getting here tomorrow morning!"

"Well, the boys and I decided that Chris could handle the store tonight since he's staying in the city to have dinner with his family," Jess explained, pushing himself from the doorway. He walked over to Rory and kissed her on the forehead before turning her music off.

"We didn't mean to scare you," Matthew said, laughing. "Where are we sleeping?"

Dylan and Matthew walked into the apartment, taking in the small area. "You lived in here with Luke?" Dylan asked, incredulous.

"It got old fast," Jess said. "Rory and I will take the double. One of you can sleep in the single and one of you can have the couch. You two can decide who sleeps where."

"Since when were Matt and Dylan invited to Thanksgiving dinner?" Rory whispered into his ear.

"Matthew didn't want to go home for his first post-divorce Thanksgiving. And Dylan is Canadian, so he and his family celebrated last month. When I was talking to Luke, I happened to mention all of this and he told me to invite them. The more the merrier, he said," Jess explained. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Oh my god, of course not!" She squealed. "I was just curious. They're more than welcome."

"Good," he said. "Because they really wanted to come."

Rory smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. They were both watching Matthew and Dylan arguing over who got the bed or the couch. "Dylan, I am tired and I drove the entire way here. I am sleeping in the bed!" Matthew argued, throwing his suitcase down on Jess's old bed.

"Fine! If you get the bed tonight, I will be sleeping in it tomorrow night," Dylan argued, walking over to the couch and plopping down with his arms folded tightly.

"How about tomorrow night I get you a room with two beds at my mom's inn? The beds are like clouds," Rory suggested. "We're eating there tomorrow anyways and there's got to be at least one room available. Not many people come _into_ Stars Hollow for holidays."

"Clouds you say?" Dylan asked, sitting up and smiling.

"Clouds!" Jess insisted.

"Thank you, Rory. That is so very nice of you," Matthew told her, kicking off his shoes. He took his bag into the bathroom to get changed.

"I'm really sorry we walked in on your terribly embarrassing dance moves," Dylan told Rory, smiling. "But, I hope this dinner is delicious because I'm really looking forward to it."

"Luke and Sookie are the best cooks there are and when they work together it is mind blowing," Rory promised. "You will not be sorry. And this is your first time in Stars Hollow, I'm sure you're going to love it."

"You're going to hate it," Jess told him.

"You don't," Dylan countered. "You secretly love everything about this little town they call Stars Hollow. I hear it in your voice every time you talk about it."

"It's true, Jess. You love this place. You love this apartment. And you love your family that lives here."

"You're both delusional," Jess argued. Matthew walked from the bathroom in sweatpants and a t-shirt and sat on the bed he had won for the night. Dylan took his bag into the bathroom to get changed as well. "So, anyway, Matt has seen Mallory four times since you introduced them."

"Have they been real dates?" Rory asked, "Or are you just sleeping with her?"

"They've all included dinner and/or a movie," he said, blushing.

"He really likes her," Jess teased.

"I'm happy for you, Matthew," Rory said with a smile.

"It's only been four dates, Rory," Matthew told her, climbing underneath the covers in Jess's old bed. "We're not getting married or anything."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Rory said with an eye roll. Dylan left the bathroom and lay down on the couch. Jess kissed Rory on the temple before getting up and changing in the bathroom himself. "Dylan I'll grab you a blanket."

She went to the closet on what was once Luke's side of the apartment and saw a number of her mother's clothes one the hangers and smiled. She reached to the shelf and pulled out the thickest blanket there was. Connecticut in November is no joke when it comes to the cold. She reached behind the clothes and grabbed a pillow as well. She gave them both to Dylan and got into the bed she was sharing with Jess.

"Goodnight guys," she said, turning onto her side.

Jess left the bathroom and got into bed next to Rory, hugging her body close to his.

"Goodnight Mom and Dad," Matthew yelled from across the room, causing Dylan to erupt into laughter. Jess chuckled and kissed Rory's ear.

"Goodnight Jess," she whispered.

"Rory, can you and Matthew set the tables?" Lorelai called from the kitchen of the inn. "Jess, Dylan, can you come in here and help Luke and Sookie cook?"

"Doesn't Sookie have a staff of trained chefs to help?" Jess asked, dragging his feet.

"It's Thanksgiving, Jess," Dylan said, slapping him on the back. "They have families to go home to."

As they entered the kitchen, Matthew and Rory began setting the six tables that would be used for dinner. "So, who's going to be at this shindig?" Matthew asked.

"My grandparents, my best friend and her family, my mom's business partner and her family, Jess's family, and some of our neighbors," Rory explained. "They're all great people. You'll like them all. I'm really sorry that you can't be with your family this year."

"It's not your fault," Matthew told her, smiling sadly. "Maybe next year I'll be able to do the split holidays."

"I'm sure it will get easier," Rory promised, but she could still see the sadness in his eyes. "Come here." He walked across the room and let her hug him, hugging her back weakly.

"Thanks." He murmured, pulling away.

"Hello, Rory," she jumped away from Matthew at the sound of her grandmother's voice. "Who is this?"

"Wow, Grandma, Grandpa, you're so early," she said, walking over to them hugging them each. "This is my friend, Matthew. Matt, these are my grandparents, Richard and Emily Gilmore."

"It's so nice to meet you," Matthew said, offering his hand to Richard and then Emily.

"Matthew, how is it you know my granddaughter exactly?" Emily asked, looking him up and down.

"He's my boyfriend's roommate," Rory told them. "He's part owner of a publishing house in Philadelphia with my boyfriend and two other men."

"What publishing house is it?" Richard asked.

"Truncheon Books," Matthew said, looking to Rory.

"You published _The Subsect _and that same writer's new book, I can't remember the name," Richard said. "Emily, what book did I just finish reading?"

"_Last Call_," Jess said, walking from the kitchen over to the group standing in the middle of the dining room.

"Grandpa, this is my boyfriend, and the author of those books, Jess," Rory said, linking her arm through his.

"You're a writer now?" Emily asked, incredulous. "Is that why you abandoned my granddaughter?"

"Grandma!" Rory shouted. "We're over that part of our relationship now. This is real."

"Rory! He was terrible to you," Emily argued. Jess sighed, dropping his head and Matthew walked into the kitchen, giving them space.

"Mom," Lorelai yelled from the kitchen door. "Stop it right now. They are adults. That is all in the past. If Rory can forgive him and move on, then you have to be able to."

"Please, Emily, don't make a scene on Thanksgiving," Richard requested. "Let's just enjoy the day with our daughter and granddaughter."

"Thank you, Grandpa," Rory said. "Grandma, please just be nice and we'll have a good day."

"I'm sorry, Rory," Emily said. "I'm sorry, Jess."

"Thank you," they said together. Rory let go of Jess and hugged her grandmother.

"Well, you guys are early, so just hang out and people should be here really soon," Lorelai said. "Rory, Matthew, I'm sorry, but can you finish up the tables? Luke and Sookie are going crazy in the kitchen."

"Yeah, no problem," Rory answered. Emily and Richard left the dining room for the library, Lorelai went to the kitchen, and Matthew came back and continued setting the tables. "I'm so sorry, Jess."

"Rory, don't worry about it," he said, holding her face and resting his forehead against hers. "We knew this would happen. It's okay."

"I love you," she whispered before kissing him softly.

"I know," he smiled, and kissed her on the nose.

She smiled and kissed him again. "Go help Luke and Sookie. I'll see you in a little while."

"Okay," he said, letting go of her face and walking away.

"That was fun," Matthew joked from the table he was setting.

"Shut up," Rory said, smiling. They continued setting the tables until all six were finished, right when people started to arrive. And as soon as they did, Lorelai, Luke, Matthew, and Jess were kicked out of the kitchen at Sookie's request.

"We've been banished!" Lorelai huffed. "But don't worry everything looks and smells terrific. Sookie'll be right out with all of the food. Everyone come into the dining room and sit down!"

At her request, the dining room was suddenly flooded with people from all over Stars Hollow. Within seconds, Doula was in Jess's arms and Lane was in Rory's. Jess let Doula go to sit with Liz and TJ while everyone else around was playing musical chairs.

"Is this everybody who lives in Stars Hollow?" Rory heard Dylan whisper into Matthew's ear.

"Just about!" She answered, steering them to a table. She and Jess sat with them and April.

Throughout dinner, Rory watched April's eyes wander over to Dylan's side of the table. Every time he told a joke, she smiled. Every time he laughed at a joke, her eyes lit up. Jess had noticed it as well, but he was used to watching women of all ages melt in front of Dylan. Rory knew, though, that April didn't fawn over just anyone; she was very reserved in showing her feelings. Of course, Rory had figured that one of the Star Hollow women would fall under Dylan's spell. She just never expected it to be her stepsister.

Once dinner was through, Lorelai, Sookie, Jackson, and Luke were cleaning up in the kitchen while the guests all socialized. For the most part, Rory was by Jess's side talking to Lane and Zach, but at one point she was talking to her grandmother about Jess while he stood with Dylan and Matt near a liquor cart.

"Grandma, I know that your first impression of Jess is not a very good one," Rory said. "But, you know, everything is different now. He's very grownup and he's really sweet."

"First impressions are hard to change, dear," Emily said before drinking from her glass of wine.

"I don't want to change your first impression, Grandma. I just want you to see how different he is now. I know who he was then, but _you_ don't know anything about who he is now. Aren't you the least bit curious?"

"He seems respectable, I suppose," she finally said. "As we both know, he does not have to prove anything to me for your approval."

"You're right," Rory told her. "Whether you hate him or love him, it will not change how I feel about him one bit. But I do want you to support me. I know what I'm doing and I know how much he and I love one another. I know my being with him is not a mistake."

"I will always support you, Rory." With that, Emily hugged her granddaughter and said her goodbyes. Rory waved to her grandfather as they exited the inn and found Jess in the shuffle.

She joined their conversation while the rest of the guests laughed and talked from their respective seats. Sookie and Jackson's kids were sitting in the corner of the dining room with Doula and Lane's twins; the oldest reading one of the many children's books in the library aloud. April was sitting down with Lorelai, Luke, and Sookie, and she was still making eyes at Dylan from her seat. Lane and Zach were with Mrs. Kim talking quietly. Jackson was sitting down with Liz, listening to a story that TJ was telling louder than anyone else in the room.

"You're stepfather is a grade-A goon," Matthew commented, watching him from across the room. "How do you deal with him?"

"I don't," Jess laughed. "When I visit my mom or Luke, I make sure only to go to their house when TJ is out working. My mom rarely visits and when she does, I just ignore him. It takes a while, but he eventually figures out that I have nothing to say to him."

"I agree that he's a goon, but I feel the need to defend him at least a little," Rory interjected. "He loves your mom and sister so much! He treats them so well and they love him. He's a good dad and he's a good husband. You have to give him credit where credit is due."

"I suppose, but I still can't stand him as a person," Jess said. He put his arm around her and asked, "Do you want a drink or something?"

"Can you pour me some of that wine, please?" she asked, looking up at him smiling. He leaned down and kissed her before doing as she asked. "Thank you." He kissed her again and put his arm back where it was around her shoulders, holding her close to his side.

"Jess and Rory, together at last," a tipsy Miss Patty said while she walked over to the group with Babette.

"Hello ladies," Rory said smiling at them both. "Wasn't dinner fantastic?"

"Oh, Sweetie, don't try and change the subject," Babette said. "We love seeing the two of you together."

"Thank you," she said, holding onto Jess's hand that was hanging around her neck. "Miss Patty, Babette, this is Matthew and Dylan. They work and live with Jess in Philadelphia."

"Hi," they said together.

"Oh, that is one lucky apartment," Miss Patty swooned. "Do you boys have girlfriends? I am a very good matchmaker."

"We're both seeing girls casually," Matthew said. "Dylan here recently went through a difficult breakup and he's been celibate for the past few months. He's recently gotten back on the horse, so to say."

"Oh, that's too bad," Babette said. "I've noticed one young girl making eyes at him all day."

Rory turned her head to hide her face and smiled into Jess's shoulder. "There are young girls, and older women, making eyes at Dylan everywhere he goes. He never notices them, but they are always there," Jess told them.

"He's a very handsome boy," Miss Patty said absently.

"Thank you," Dylan said sheepishly before taking a long sip of his beer.

"We've embarrassed him enough, Patty," Babette laughed. "Rory, say bye before you leave town."

"I will, Babette," Rory promised. "Sorry about them. They don't ever filter themselves."

"It's okay," Dylan said. "Who's been looking at me? There's no one here who isn't married."

"I don't know what she's talking about," Rory lied.

"I didn't notice anyone looking at you other than those two," Jess agreed.

"Whatever."

"More alcohol?" Matthew asked, looking at each of his friends. "We don't have to drive tonight."

"I could go for some more alcohol," Jess said, reaching for the bottle of Jack Daniels while Matthew poured the coke.

"What the hell happened last night?" Rory asked rolling over. "Ow! What the hell?" She yelled when she hit her head on the bottom of the bed.

"Why are we on the floor?" Jess asked as he sat on his knees. "When did we even get back?"

"I don't know," she said, sitting on her knees holding the comforter around her bare body. "Oh my god, Jess we need to leave in an hour to catch our flight."

"I don't think I'll be able to walk in an hour," he told her as he pulled on his boxers and laid his head on the bed. "Or ever again."

"I think we finished off the inn's entire drink cart last night," she said as she pulled her entire body onto the bed. "Do you see any of my clothes that I was wearing last night?"

"Rory, I can't see past my nose right now."

"We need to shower. Then we need to get dressed. And then we need to get on a plane for six hours," she whined, turning onto her stomach, baring her back. Jess pulled himself onto the bed next to her.

"I'll go get in the shower," he said and waited another forty-five seconds before finally standing up and ambling to the bathroom. A few minutes into his shower, Rory heard footsteps outside the apartment door followed by a knock.

"Who is it?" She yelled and pulled the blanket back around her body.

"It's your favorite person ever," Lorelai yelled. Rory pushed herself off of the bed and slowly walked over to the locked door. "Ooh, rough night?"

"No, the night was okay," Rory answered, ushering her mother into the apartment. "It's the morning that's rougher than normal."

"Well, did you at least have fun yesterday?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh my god, yes!" Rory said, sitting down at the kitchen table. "You know how much I love a Stars Hollow get together. The boys had fun, too."

"April loves Dylan," Lorelai gushed, grabbing onto Rory's hand that wasn't holding onto the blanket around her body. "I watched her staring at him all day and then she told me this morning when we walked to Luke's together."

"It's too bad he's too old for her," Rory said. "They would get along so well. Dylan really is the sweetest."

"I really like them both," Lorelai agreed. "I'm happy for Jess. He really seems like he's in a good place. And you're clearly very happy."

"I am very happy," she said with a smile. "I've been thinking about my move to Philadelphia. Dad offered to buy me a house and I'm not sure whether I should take him up on it or not. What do you think?"

"We both know that he's going to buy you one eventually, right?" Lorelai asked and Rory nodded. "So, maybe you should take him down there and just look at some houses. But I don't think you should look at anything with less than three bedrooms. I know it's really far down the road, but eventually Jess will move in and hopefully there will be a marriage and some kids down the road. You don't want to have Christopher buy you a house you'll only use for a few years before needing an upgrade, you know?"

"I think that's why I'm not so sure about him buying one for me right away," Rory admitted. "I don't want to freak Jess out with a three bedroom house after only being together for what will be nine or ten months at the time."

"It scares me so much to say this," Lorelai started, squeezing Rory's hand. "But you and Jess are in it to win it, Sweetie. He knows that, you know that. I understand and agree you should continue on the reasonably paced track you've been on so far, but he's it for you and he's happy to be it. Do you really think it would freak him out? Or does it freak you out?"

"It kind of freaks me out," she admitted. "I know everything you just said is true, Mom, I do. It's just all happening so fast. I don't regret anything and I can't wait to start a real life with him, but a few months ago I had no idea what he was doing with his life. People were afraid to bring his name up in my presence. And now Miss Patty and Babette are probably planning our wedding. You're in love with the idea of the two of us together, which is something I never expected. And I've made the executive decision to pick up and move my entire life to Philadelphia to be closer to him. I just don't understand how it all happened so quickly."

"Sweets, this is one of those great love stories where everything started out complicated and ended terribly before turning into what it is today. It is a real, loving relationship. You and Jess have a relationship that has withstood so many obstacles that other couples wouldn't even imagine. The two of you have been helping each other grow since you were seventeen years old. It's almost ten years later and you're still learning from him."

"I never thought I would hear you talk this way about my relationship with Jess. Thank you. I needed that even if I knew it all already. I needed to hear it from you."

"Don't ever tell him I said any of that," Lorelai said, smiling.

"I wouldn't dare," Rory smiled back.

"I'm gonna go downstairs. I'm starving. Be quick up here, Matthew and Dylan are waiting anxiously for the two of you. And put some clothes on," Lorelai said. She stood from the table, kissed Rory on top of her head and left the apartment for the diner.


	18. Must Be Doing Something Right

**AN: I'm kind of proud of myself right now. This was barely a wait compared to how long it usually takes me. Anyway, here is the new chapter. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you review it. I like to know what everyone is thinking.**

**I titled this chapter _Must Be Doing Something Right_ which is a song by Billy Currington. It's all about hot/steamy sex, so you know it's gotta be a great song!**

Rory was lying on the beach on her and Jess's last night in California. She was on her stomach, legs twisted in the air, reading a book when Jess stumbled out of the water, dripping wet.

"I hate you," she said absently as he sat on his towel next to her.

"Aw, thanks, Ror," he said and kissed her on the shoulder. "May I ask why, though?" He lay on is back and looked over at her.

"You're so tan; it's disgusting," she said. "And, by disgusting, I mean so _disgustingly_ sexy it hurts."

"Huh," he said with his hand shading his eyes as he looked up at her, smirking.

"All the while," she continued, closing her book. "I'm whiter than the sand. How is that fair? I've been in the same sun as you all week. Look how dark your arm is compared to mine. What the hell?"

"Rory," he interrupted, pulling his arm away from hers. "It's just a tan. I can't help it. It's in my blood. You've seen Jimmy. And you're perfect."

"No," she argued. "I am pale. _You_ are perfect."

"Shut up," he said before flipping over onto his stomach and leaned over to kiss her. "We should head back to the hotel to get ready. We have to be at Jimmy's in like an hour and a half."

"Are you sad to go home tomorrow?" She asked, resting her head on a hand while her other rubbed his back.

"Not really," he answered truthfully. "The kid's cute, though."

"He looks like you," she smiled.

"Jimmy apparently has really strong genes," Jess said. "Let's go."

They both got up from the sand, folding their own towels. Rory stuffed hers into her beach tote and held it open for him to do the same. After they packed everything up, he took the bag from her shoulder and put it on his own.

"You are such a gentleman," Rory said, grabbing the hand that Jess was holding out for her. She kissed him on the cheek and he reciprocated before pulling her along toward the hotel. He was having a good time, which surprised him, but it surprised Rory even more. She knew that when he met his father he was going through a really hard time with the rest of his life. Eighteen year old Jess would have been a really difficult kid to get to know, especially since he held such a deep seeded grudge against Jimmy. However, at twenty-six, she could see how Jess had bonded with Jimmy and Lily, and even Sasha.

As Jess held Rory's hand walking to the hotel, all he could think about was how the past week had been great. They had both been a little nervous that they would get on each other's nerves spending so much time together. However, he was completely dreading having to get back to the way things normally were. They would be flying back to Boston together on Friday and then on Sunday he was taking the train back to Philadelphia. He knew, at that moment more than ever, that he was going to hate the impending Sunday more than any of their past Sundays.

As they walked into their hotel, past the front desk, she was feeling the same thing. She could not wait to move to Philadelphia. She was so sick and tired of walking away from him and of watching him walk away from her. While they waited for the elevator, she put her arm around his waist and hugged him. She rested her head on his chest and felt his arm go around her shoulders, pulling her closer. When he kissed the crown of her head, the elevator arrived and they pulled themselves away from the other. They rode up to their floor in a comfortable silence. She was planning her dinner outfit out in her head while he was plotting a scene for the new book.

Jimmy and Sasha wanted to have them over for one more dinner before they left the next day. Jess had spent more time with Jimmy the past week than he did the whole time they lived together. They got along really well and Jess was really comfortable at their house. He was really happy he got to know his father when he did and that they still kept in touch. He was messed up when he ran away to California, but Jimmy and Sasha helped him out a lot. He never talked to Luke about his relationship with Jimmy; he knew how Luke felt about him and he had every right to feel that way. Also, Jess never wanted Luke to think that there was anyone more like a father to him than Luke.

Rory opened the door to their hotel room and Jess dropped the bag on the floor. Taking her by surprise, he pinned her against the door once it closed, holding her hips to his. He leaned down and kissed her slowly and she moaned into the kiss, holding onto his upper arms and pulling him closer.

"I feel like we haven't taken enough advantage of this hotel room," he said between kisses and she moaned her agreement. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. While he carried her to the bed, she kicked off her flip flops and he stepped out of his.

"Jess," Rory groaned. "We'll be late."

"Doesn't matter," he said, pulling off her beach cover up. "They run half an hour behind everyone else." She conceded and let him continue kissing his way down her body, pulling her bathing suit off in the process. She ripped off his bathing suit and t-shirt and forgot all about their impending dinner.

Hours after dinner, Rory and Jess were curled around each other in bed underneath the thin sheet. "I don't want to go back to Boston," Rory whined, wiping her hair from her face. "It's so cold in Boston."

"We were lucky," Jess told her, kissing her forehead quickly. "It's unseasonably warm here right now."

"I can't believe we went on vacation together," she laughed, kissing his bare chest. "We're such adults."

"What? You never went on vacation with Logan or any other guy?" Jess scoffed.

"Well, yeah, I guess I have," she conceded. "But it's you and it's me. We broke up seven years ago; it's hard for me to put the past and the present together."

"Then don't. We are two very different people than we were seven years ago, Rory. Or, haven't you noticed?"

"We're the same people, Jess," she said softly. "We're just better versions of ourselves, that's all. And I'm really happy we're here together now. That's all that matters."

"It is what it is," he said quietly while he played with the ends of her hair and looked off aimlessly. It caught her by surprise; she recognized those words. They sounded so much different this time around, though.

"Yeah," she said almost forcefully which caused him to look down at her apprehensively. "And what it is is amazing."

"It is," he agreed, eyes softened, before leaning down and capturing her lips with his.

"Jess," she said, laughing into his mouth, but he ignored her and continued kissing. "Jess. I don't think I can go another round. We've been at this all night. What's gotten into you?"

Jess sank back on the bed, rolling his eyes while Rory watched him carefully. She sat up and looked down at him, reaching for his hand above the sheet. "Jess?"

"I'm just trying to take advantage of the time we have right now," he told her, sitting up next to her and squeezing her hand. "After I leave on Sunday, we won't see each other until Christmas Eve. Then, two days later, we both go back to our own cities. And I'm on a plane to Texas December 30 to start a two week long book tour with one of my authors."

"I know Jess, okay?" She said. "This sucks. But we can't do anything about it right now. I can't move to Philadelphia until June. I can't change that. If I could, I'd be going back with you tomorrow. But you keep trying to get into my pants and it isn't going to change that."

"You're not wearing any pants," he said and she shook her head, laughing.

"Because you tore them off of me the second we got back from your father's."

"And wasn't that fun?"

"Of course," she answered. She leaned over and kissed him softly. "But it was also very exhausting. We need to get up early tomorrow."

"Fine," he said. He leaned over her and she could feel his breath on her face and his hand on her thigh. "If that's the way you want it." He kissed her then, softly and slowly, moving his hand up her thigh until she conceded and pulled him to lie on top of her.

The next night, Rory was unpacking her bags while Jess took a shower. All of a sudden, Rory heard the doorbell ring and she had no idea who it could be. "Hello?" She called through the intercom.

"Hey, kiddo, it's me," Christopher called back from the street. Rory took a deep breath and buzzed him in. "Hey, sweetie," he said when she opened the door for him.

"Hey, Dad!" She sad, hugging him. "Come in."

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" He asked, looking around the apartment.

"No, I was just unpacking from my trip to California," she told him. She noticed he was holding a manila folder. "What do you have there?"

"I was online looking at places for you in Philadelphia," he told her and he sat down on the couch. "Is Alex home?"

"No," she answered, sitting next to him. "Dad, I don't even know what I'm looking for yet."

"Who's taking a shower if Alex isn't home?" He asked and it dawned on him. "Is he here? Maybe he should join us for this. I'm assuming he'll be living there too."

"Not right away," Rory said. "But I'll get him. I want his opinion."

"Okay," Christopher sighed. "I'll just, uh, lay these all out on the table."

"I'll be right back," Rory said and she walked to her bedroom and then into her bathroom. "Jess?"

"What's wrong?" He asked, poking his head out from behind the curtain.

"My dad is here," she told him and his eyes widened. "He has some houses to show me and we thought you might want to take a look too. And I want you to meet him."

"I'm coming right out," he said, leaning back in and shutting off the water. Rory smiled and handed him his towel. "I'll be right out."

"I'll wait," she said, smiling and he kissed her quickly before walking into her room to get changed.

"Dad," Rory called, as she and Jess left her room. Christopher stood from the table with a hard smile on his face. "This is Jess. Jess, this is my dad, Christopher."

"Nice to meet you, Jess," Christopher said, offering his hand which Jess shook immediately. "I've heard a lot about you."

"I bet," Jess laughed, taking his hand back and stuffing them both into his pockets. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"So, let's look at what you've got there," Rory said, sitting down at the table. Jess and Christopher sat on either side of her and she reached out to rest a hand on Jess's leg.

"I figured you'd probably want to stay in one place for awhile," Christopher started, sorting papers. "So, I started looking at three bedroom brownstones."

"Oh, Dad," Rory said, looking at the first one. "That's beautiful." It was a three story brownstone with exposed brick walls and deep brown hardwood floors. It had an open floor plan on the bottom floor for the living room, dining room, kitchen and a bathroom. The second floor had two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a study while the whole third floor was the master bedroom and bathroom. "Why are the prices blacked out on all of these?" She asked, looking at every single piece of paper on the table. There were at least ten different places.

"I don't want you to worry about that stuff," Christopher said. "I know what I can afford, so you don't need to think twice about it."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Jess which one do you like?" She asked, as he looked at all of the options.

"They're all great," he answered, smiling shyly at her. "It's your house; I'm keeping my opinion to myself."

"I want your opinion," she nudged. "This is a big decision. I don't want to make it by myself."

"Why don't you pick three or four to look at and you and I can go down and see them some weekend," Christopher offered. "I have to go pick up your sister, but give me a call and I'll take care of it all."

"Thank you so much, Dad," Rory said, and they all stood up from the table. She gave him a hug and walked him to the door. "I'm really excited about this."

"I love you, kiddo," he said and kissed her on the cheek. "It was nice to meet you, Jess." Jess waved as Christopher left the apartment.

"That wasn't so bad," Rory said, closing the door and going back to the table where Jess had sat down again.

"He was here for five minutes," he said. "Wait until we have to spend significant time together. He'll hate me."

"Shut up," Rory said, sliding on to his lap. His arms circled her waist immediately and he rested his chin onto her shoulder. "Jess?"

"Yeah?" He asked, looking at the house she was holding in her hands.

"I want you know that, eventually, I want you to live in this house with me," she told him and he tightened his grip on her, kissing her neck softly. "Obviously, not right away, but my dad was right. I want to stay in whatever house he's buying me for a long time. Like kids and all that stuff."

"Who are you having kids with?" He asked, laughing softly and she gave him a wicked side eye look before turning back to the houses laid out in front of her.

"Some asshole, I'm sure," she said and he bit her lightly on the shoulder in jest. "See? Asshole."

"What will you do with all that space until then?" He asked softly and she shrugged.

"Guest rooms," she said, thinking it over and then she gasped. "Maybe I'll ask Alex to come with me!"

"Really?" He asked, clearly surprised. "Why didn't you think of that earlier?"

"I don't know!" She said. "Oh my god! Jess! I'm going to ask him. He's always saying he wants to move somewhere new. And he'd love Philadelphia!"

"That's a great idea," he said. "So, which ones are you leaning towards?"

"I really like this first one I looked at," she told him, turning to smile at him.

"I do too," he told her. "I like the brick and the floors. And that master bedroom looks huge."

"The study would be really good for you, huh?" She asked and he shrugged. "There is a bunch here with studies."

"Rory," he said sharply and she shifted to face him, a leg on either side of his lap and her hands on either side of his face. She held his face and rested her forehead against his. His eyes met hers and she smiled before placing a soft kiss on his lips. She let go of his face, but rested her hands on his shoulders.

"We've only been together for less than three months," she told him and he nodded. "Am I crazy to think that far ahead?"

"No," he told her. "I'm not going anywhere. But it's your house, Rory."

"I can't imagine living anywhere else if you're not going to be there with me," she said quietly. "I'm crazy. This is insane. People must think we're crazy."

"No," he insisted, now he held her face to his. "People know how we feel about each other. I've always felt this way about you. I love you."

"I know," she said quietly and she kissed him slowly. "I think we should try the whole living-in-the-same-city thing before we jump into the whole living-in-the-same-house thing."

"I agree," he said, letting out a deep chuckle. "But I guarantee you, that won't last very long."

"I know," she laughed. "I just can't get enough of you."

"Or," he said, and she pulled away looking down at him questioningly. "You'll get so sick of me, sell whichever place you choose, and move to Canada just to get away from me."

"You're an idiot," she said and they both laughed. "I would move to Europe, not Canada."

Jess laughed again and kissed her hard. "Seriously, though, Rory, pick whatever place you want. Eventually, I will live wherever you live. It _does_ _not_ matter to me."

"Fine," she said. "Can we _please_ go to bed now?"

He kissed her, put his arms around her back and beneath her legs, carrying her as he stood. "Whatever you want," he told her and she kissed him as he walked them into her bedroom and kicked the door close behind them.


	19. Ashes

**Okay, so here's the next chapter. I'm really making strides to finish this bad boy up. I've already finished the next chapter and there is going to be two more after that. So three in total. Just a heads up :)**

**Also, I started a new story. It's called _Crazy, Random Happenstance _and I want all of you guys to read it! It's obviously another Rory and Jess story and I'm really proud of it. **

**By the way, this chapter is called _Ashes_ which is my new favorite song by Andy Brown. It has nothing to do with this chapter, but I've been listening to nothing else for weeks.**

"Dad, they were all so amazing," Rory said, walking down a street in Philadelphia with Christopher and Gigi. "I don't think I'll be able to make a decision."

"There is still one more to look at, Rory," he laughed. "Which one did you like, Gig?"

"The second one was big," she said, looking up at him. "But I think I liked the last one we looked at."

"My favorite one is the one we're looking at next," Rory said aloud and Christopher's face light up.

"We're going to leave this city with a house," he said, smiling. "I can't wait. We should start decorating as soon as it's yours."

"Take a breath, Dad," Rory laughed. "I've only seen pictures. And you don't have to decorate it."

"Well, we'll see about that," he said. "Where is Jess this weekend?"

"I think he's in New York by now," she answered. "Do you guys want to go see Truncheon? It's great."

"What is that?" Gigi asked with a scrunched face.

"It's where my boyfriend works," Rory told her. "They sell and write and publish books."

"That's kind of cool," she said, thinking it over.

They walked to Truncheon and as they started up the steps, Chris walked out of the store and nearly ran into them.

"Rory!" He said, stopping suddenly and letting the door shut behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"My dad, sister, and I are looking at houses," she told him. "Chris, this is my sister, Gigi, and my dad, Christopher."

"Oh, I like your name," Chris said, shaking his hand and Christopher laughed. "Well, I've really got to get home to meet Julia. My parents are coming over later and apparently the apartment is a mess."

"Say hi for me," Rory told him.

"Yeah," he said and walked around them and down the steps. "It was nice to meet you guys."

"You, too," Christopher said and they walked into the store.

"Rory!" Dylan called from the front desk. "What's up?"

"Hey Dylan," Rory smiled. "We're just killing time before we have to meet up with our realtor. This is my dad, Christopher, and my sister, Gigi."

"Hey," Dylan said and waved. "It's nice to meet you."

Just then a customer came to the desk and he had to refocus his attention. Gigi looked around for a minute before sitting down on the stairs that led to their apartment. Christopher stopped to flip through a book. "Hey, Ror, can you point me in the direction of the bathroom?" He asked and put the book back on the shelf.

Rory pointed him to the back of the store where the bathroom was and watched him walk away. She turned toward Gigi and noticed a new display featuring the new book from the author Jess was on the road with.

All of a sudden, Rory heard steps on the stairs and saw Jess nearly trip over Gigi. "Small child," he said absently and she looked up at him, confused. He didn't even see Rory, but he turned back to look at Gigi sitting on the stairs, still looking up at him. "Who do you belong to?" He asked and Rory silently laughed.

"She's with me," she said and he whipped his head around to look at her, a smile slowly growing on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"I haven't had my computer all week," he explained, looking back once more at Gigi, before walking over and kissing Rory. "I stopped here on my way to New York. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with my dad and my sister," she explained. "We're looking at the houses. We're on our way to meet the realtor at the last one. I wanted to show them Truncheon. As you can see, Gigi isn't all that interested." He laughed before holding Rory's face in his hands. She reached up and held onto his wrists.

"I totally forgot you'd be here this weekend," he said and she shrugged. He leaned in and kissed her again, softly. "Do you want to meet my author? She's around here somewhere."

"I thought your author's name was Joey," she said, pulling out of his reach. "As in Joseph."

"Joey," he said definitely, smirking. "As in Josephine. Is that okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be okay?" She asked, wringing her hands together, and avoiding eye contact. "Stop smirking like that." He bit his lip and stepped closer to her, holding her chin in his hand and gently forcing her to look up at him.

"Hey," he said, and she kept her face stony. "There's nothing to worry about. She's blonde. I'm not into blondes." He laughed quietly and she nodded her head which he still held onto.

"That hasn't always been the case," she argued. "If you recall, you dated Shane who was the epitome of blonde."

"Rory," he said, laughing again. "You're insane. There's nothing to worry about. Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?"

"No," she said. "I'm sorry." She leaned in and kissed him.

"It's okay," he laughed, hugging her to him. "She's into girls anyways."

"You could have led off with that," Rory said, pulling away and slapping his chest. "Where is she? I do want to meet her."

"Jo!" Jess yelled and Rory saw the beautiful blonde come over from the front desk where she had been standing. "Joey, this is my girlfriend, Rory. Rory, this is Joey."

"It's so nice to meet you," Joey said with a deep southern accent. "You are all he talks about."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Rory said. "How's the book tour going?"

"Oh, I just love it," she answered. "This is my second book, so there's a lot more fans than my first tour."

"Well, congratulations," Rory said. "I'm actually reading your first book right now and it's great."

"Thank you," Joey said, smiling. "That's a real compliment coming from someone who knows this guy's mind so well."

"All right," Jess said, stopping the conversation. "Enough of that."

"It was nice to meet you, Rory," Joey said. "I'll leave you two alone for a minute."

"Nice to meet you, Joey."

"I'm sorry, but we really have to go. We're already running late and we need to be there in two and a half hours. And I already know the traffic isn't going to be on my side," Jess said, taking hold of her face again, and kissed her quickly.

"It's okay," she said and kissed him again. "You weren't even supposed to be here, so go."

"I'll call you tonight," he promised, letting go of her face. He turned to look at Gigi and smiled. "I'm Jess, by the way."

"I'm Gigi," she said, standing up and extending her hand. Jess looked back at Rory with an amused smile before offering her his own hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," he said with a deep chuckle. When she let go of his hand to sit down again, Jess turned back to Rory. "I'll, um, talk to you later."

"Go," she said, smiling and he smiled back before kissing her quickly and turning to leave.

"Tell your dad I said hi," he called as he left the store. Rory turned to look at Gigi, who was looking up at her, and sat down beside her.

"Dad says boyfriends are stupid," Gigi told Rory and Rory nodded.

"Dad has two daughters," she started to explained. "Of course he thinks boyfriends are stupid. Boyfriends can be pretty stupid, though."

"I can't wait to have a boyfriend," Gigi said as Christopher found them.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that," he said. "You two ready?"

"Yeah," Rory answered and she and Gigi stood up and walked toward the door with Christopher. "Bye Dylan! Tell Matthew I said hi."

"Bye Rory," Dylan called back from the desk. "Good luck with the houses. It was nice to meet you Gigi, Sir."

"You too, Dylan," Christopher called back, reaching for Gigi's hand. The three of them left Truncheon and headed toward the next house.

"Jess was there for a second," Rory told him and he nodded. "He says hello."

"Oh, tell him the same the next time you talk to him," Christopher said as they rounded the corner.

They walked five more blocks and turned onto a street that was lined with brownstones. Rory waved at their realtor who was waiting outside of one about halfway down the road.

"This place is close to Truncheon," Christopher remarked. "Is it close to the school?"

"Actually, not that far," Rory told him. She didn't care how close to school or Truncheon her new place was, as long as she could get from point A to point B. It would be nice, though.

"Rory, Christopher, Gigi," the realtor said, directing them up the front steps. "This is a fantastic home. It's truly beautiful."

"We're very excited," Rory told her as the four of them walked into the foyer.

As they walked through, into the great room, Rory was speechless. The room was huge, with plenty of room for a living room set and a dining room set. There was a breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the rest of the room. The kitchen was bright with brand new appliances and had enough storage space for a family of six. To the left of the kitchen was a small door that led to the back porch and a full bathroom. The whole right wall was exposed brick, but the entire room was brightened by the large windows at the front of the living room and the back wall in the kitchen.

"This is my favorite so far," Gigi said as she ran her hand along the brick wall from the living room to the breakfast bar. "Can we go upstairs?"

"Let's go upstairs," the realtor said and they followed her to the second floor. They walked into the study first; it was a good size, not huge but big enough for books and a couple of desks. Next they walked into a guest bedroom, the larger of the two where Alex was planning to move into. It was painted a deep red and had a walk-in closet. The second guest bedroom was smaller with a smaller closet, but it had a door that connected it to the second-floor bathroom.

"What do you think, kid?" Christopher asked as Gigi walked ahead on the way to the third floor.

"I love it," she whispered as they walked onto the third floor. There was a door at the top of the stairs that led into the master bedroom. "Yeah, I love it," she said louder when they walked in.

The room was huge and there was an entire wall of windows across from another exposed brick wall. The closet was another walk-in with a smaller closet right next to it. Christopher followed the realtor into the master bath while Rory looked out of the windows and Gigi stepped into the closet. Rory took a deep breath and followed the others into the bathroom where Gigi soon joined them. There was a jacuzzi tub and glass walled shower, his and hers sinks with marble countertop and the toilet had it's own, tiny little room.

"This can't be real," Rory said to the room and they all looked to her. Christopher was smiling proudly, but the realtor looked nervous. "Dad, you can't afford this."

"Actually," the realtor interrupted. "Your father and I have talked tirelessly about what he can afford and this is well within his budget. The owners have already moved out of the city and they really just want to wash their hands of it; they're practically giving this place away."

Rory looked from her to her sister, who was now sitting in the tub, and then to her father who just shrugged with his proud smile still evident.

"Is this the place, Ror?" He asked, leaning his shoulder against the wall and crossing his arms.

She took a deep breath and looked around, through the door into the room, and she began to envision a life. It was a life that seemed so far out of reach, but a life she wanted. She wanted to move to Philadelphia and to be with Jess forever. She wanted to go back to school and eventually find a job that made her feel complete and excited every single day. She wanted Alex to move with her and find something new that made him happy. She wanted it all to start in that house, where she would start her future days in that bedroom and that bathroom.

"Yes," she said with a nod. "Definitely, yes."

Christopher hugged her and Gigi clapped.

"I can't believe you're buying me a house," she said and he laughed.

"Well, believe it," he said. "I want you to take your sister out for dinner while I go back to the office with Carrie. I'll put my offer in and when I meet up with you two, we may have an answer."

"Okay," Rory said, and Gigi hopped out of the tub. "Call me when you're finished. We can meet at the parking garage."

"Great," Christopher said, smiling. "Gigi, please behave for Rory."

"Dad," she whined, as she pulled Rory through the bedroom and down the two flights of stairs and outside. "You think you're gonna get it?"

"I hope so," Rory told her, pulling Gigi in the other direction than she was trying to go.

"Dad will fight for it, I bet," Gigi told her and Rory just shook her head with a laugh. "Where are we going to dinner?"

"An Italian place a few blocks closer to the car," Rory told her and Gigi walked ahead, still pulling her along, even though she didn't know where she was going. Rory just made sure to tell her when to turn and they ended up outside of a small restaurant not too far from the office where Christopher was going to be with Carrie.

All she had to do was ask Gigi one simple question about school, and the little one wouldn't stop talking. She told story after story all throughout dinner. Rory listened as they ate dinner and through dessert. As she paid for dinner, she Christopher call and they left the restaurant to take the call and meet up.

She followed Gigi to the parking garage, telling her when and where to turn again, and found Christopher walking in at the same time.

"It's all your's, Kiddo!" He said and Rory's eyes lit up before she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She yelled. "It was that easy?"

"The realtor wasn't joking," he laughed. "The couple that was selling it said they loved the house, but they really wanted to sell it quick. Plus, I made a nice offer."

"Thank you, Dad," Rory said again. "Thank you so much!"

"I scheduled the inspection for next weekend," Christopher said as they all walked to the car. "You don't have to come. And it is yours as of March 1st. I know you're not moving until the summer, but we can start the decorating process."

"You've done enough," Rory said. "You don't need to decorate it."

"I know," he said with a laugh. "I want to at least help."

"Thank you," she said again.

They drove back to Boston while Gigi slept in the back seat through the night. It was just past 1 in the morning when Christopher dropped Rory off at her apartment where she continued to thank him. He waved her off again and told her he'd call her about the inspection, though he thought they had nothing to worry about.

When Rory walked into her apartment, she found Alex sitting alone on the couch watching _The Way They Were_ in the dark. She dropped her purse immediately and sat next to him.

"What happened?" She asked, putting her arm around him.

"I broke up with Kurt," he answered sadly. "There's just nothing there. I can't have a serious conversation with the guy. He's so juvenile."

"Sweetie," Rory said, hugging him. "I'm so sorry, but I think you did the right thing."

"I know I did," he admitted. "I liked him, though. You know, despite his lack of brain..."

Rory laughed sadly and curled around him again. They held each other through the last hour of the movie.

"What was the breaking point?" Rory asked, turning off the tv. Alex just shrugged and stood up from the couch.

"I think it was the culmination of everything," he said. "And now I that I know I'm moving to Philadelphia, it just wasn't worth it anymore."

"We got the house," she told him with a bright smile and she was pleased to see him smile in return.

"That's so exciting! When can you move in?"

"Well, as long as the inspection goes well, it's mine as of March first," she said and she, too, got off of the couch.

"That's a really quick turnover," Alex told her and she nodded. "Okay, well, I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay," she said and hugged him tightly. "Good night."

"'Night," he said before walking into his room.

Rory was so happy she asked Alex to move with her to Philadelphia. He was so excited when she told him the news and even more excited when she extended the offer for him to go with her. He was always talking about moving to a new city and now he actually could. Not only that, but rent free and with his best friend. The first thing he brought up, though, was how Jess would feel sharing a place with the both of them. Rory was quick to tell him that they had no immediate plans for him to move in. And when he finally did, the place would be big enough for the three of them at least for a while. She wasn't going to let Alex move all the way to Philadelphia with her and then replace him with Jess; she would never do that to him.

As she walked into her bedroom, she heard her cellphone ring and saw it was Jess.

"Hello, my handsome friend, you sure are calling late," she said as she lay on her bed and kicked off her shoes.

"I know," he said with a yawn. "I, um, said I'd call and I just got back from a dinner thing with Joey's friends. I figured you'd be just getting home."

"I got back about an hour ago," she told him. "I stayed up with Alex. He broke up with Kurt."

"Oh that's too bad," Jess said. "Although, he couldn't carry on an intelligent conversation. I won't miss him."

"That's a big part of why he broke it off, actually," Rory laughed. "Oh, forget that for a second!"

"Okay. What's up?"

"That last place was amazing," Rory told him. "It was even better in person than on paper. It was everything I could ever want. I want to live in that house forever."

"Yeah?" Jess asked and she could practically hear the smile on his face. "When do you find out about it?"

"We already did," she said. "We got it! As long as everything goes well with the inspection it is mine on March first!"

"Congratulations!" He said. "That's awesome. I wish you could move sooner than June."

"Yeah," she said wistfully. "Me too. I'm so mad my lease isn't up until then."

"Well, I can't wait to see it," he told her.

"You'll love it," she said. "Oh my god, Jess, it is perfect. You're going to love it. And it's so close to Truncheon!"

"I'll have to walk by it," he joked. "Maybe stare in some windows."

"You seriously should! Jess, I can't wait for you to see it!"

"Me either," he said with another yawn."

"Go to bed," Rory told him and he laughed. "I'll see you on Friday. Love you."

"Goodnight," Jess said. "Love you."

**I'm going to defend my decision to definitely move Rory to Philadelphia. I think Rory is very independent from Lorelai and, as far as this story goes, is very much in love with Jess and the life he's built for himself. She very well could have had Christopher buy a house for her in Boston or Stars Hollow, but she wouldn't force Jess to give up his entire life to move with her. Her life is in transition, what with school and the fact she's not so crazy about her job anymore, so it's understandable to move her to him. **

**I just thought this was an important note to make. I hope you all understand where I'm coming from. I'm rambling. That's all.**


	20. We Could Run Away

**All right, I've got a bit to say in this AN. I'm really excited that this story is close to ending. I'm starting to get sick of it myself. As much as I love it, it's time for it to be done. I'm working on the next chapter now. I'm not sure if it'll be the last or second to last. I'm really glad this story has faithful readers, though. Thank you to all of you who have been reading and reviewing. I hope you continue to do so up until it finishes.**

**Also, if you haven't started reading my new story _Crazy, Random Happenstance, _I wish you would. I posted the sixth chapter on Sunday and the last chapter will be posted later this week. I really love that story, so I want others to enjoy it as well.**

**Lastly, this chapter is called _We Could Run Away_ which is a song by Needtobreathe. I love them. **

**Sorry for the long note and ENJOY!**

Rory and Jess were walking down the street on their way to the new house. It had officially been hers for two weeks, and Jess still hadn't seen it. She still couldn't move in for two and half more months, but she and Alex had spent the weekend there as soon as the keys were in her hands. Jess was in Indianapolis that weekend meeting with an author.

As they walked up the steps, Rory let go of Jess's hand and pulled the keys from her pocket.

"Are you excited?" She asked, looking back at him and he nodded with a smirk. "Good," she said and then kissed him quickly. She opened the door and stepped aside for Jess to enter first.

"Holy crap," he said, taking it in. "This is insane. It's huge."

"Too big?" She asked, closing the door and leaning agaisnt it.

"Not at all," he told her. "Perfect amount of huge."

She smiled and joined him in the middle of the empty living room. "What's your favorite part?" She asked as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"I like the brick a lot," he said. "The kitchen's awesome."

"Good, because you're going to be spending a lot of time in there," she told him, looking up. He shook his head and planted a kiss on her lips. "Do you want to go upstairs?"

He nodded and let her pull him up the stairs. She watched him look into each bedroom and then the bathroom. "Study?" He asked, pointing into the last room on the second floor. She nodded with a smile as he walked in. "Good size. We have to get you some more shelves, so you can stop storing your books in drawers and underneath your bed. You have a whole room for them now."

"You know you're a grownup when you start decorating your study, right?" She asked and he nodded with a laugh. "I'm thinking the book shelves, a desk for me, and then maybe Alex can have a corner for his art."

"That sounds good," he said, nodding along. He was envisioning it all in his head when Rory came up behind him and hugged him.

"You know, until you move in and we get you your own desk and shelves," she whispered and Jess turned to face her. "Then we can give Al the guest room corner."

"I love it," he told her with a quick kiss. "Show me your room."

She smiled and pulled him up the last flight of stairs into the master suite.

"Oh my god," he whispered, looking around, ignoring the two sleeping bags Rory and Alex had left behind. He walked over to the closet and peeked his head in. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is as big as my whole room."

"Shut up."

"Seriously, Rory, I know you have a lot of clothes and shoes, but not that much," he laughed. "Oh my god, and there's another closet?"

"That can be yours," she laughed and he nodded before he walked into the bathroom. "You get your own sink, too."

"I'm a lucky guy," he laughed. "This place is going to be amazing, Rory."

"You think so?" She asked as she perched herself onto the countertop.

"Yeah," he told her as he stepped in between her legs. She wrapped them around his waist and he held onto her hips.

"It's going to weird with you here, but not here," she said and he laughed. "I'm serious. I know we're doing the right thing, not jumping into anything too soon, but - I don't know."

"We'll make it a rule that I can't stay more than three nights a week," he told her and she shook her head.

"No rules," she said. "That's stupid. You can stay as long as you want. Just imagine it as your own place that you don't actually live in."

"That makes no sense," he laughed and she shrugged. "We should have rules or I'll move in without even realizing."

"When do you think we'll be comfortable enough to fully live together?" She asked, locking her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. "I'm going to guess by my birthday."

"I'd be fully comfortable with it by tonight," he told her honestly and she kissed him. "But, probably by your birthday."

"That would be a good birthday present," she said. "And you wouldn't have to spend any money."

"What happens if you move here and we try out living in the same city, seeing each other every day, and then we break up for whatever reason?" He asked quietly and Rory pulled away from him slightly. "I don't want that to happen, but what if it does?"

"It's not going to."

"Rory, I'm being serious."

"So am I, Jess. It's not going to happen."

"You can't be so sure, Rory. I don't want it to happen. I don't think it will happen. I know I won't be the one to break up with you. But it could happen. You could hate it here and resent me and then what? We stay together even though we're miserable?" He asked and Rory shook her head with an angry laugh as she pushed him away and slid off the counter.

"Why are you saying this, Jess?" She asked, crossing her arms and he sat down on the edge of the tub and rubbed his face.

"I want you to have a plan," he told her. "I don't want you to be stranded here and not have a backup plan."

"What's your back up plan, Jess?"

"Living a miserable life without you," he said, with a smirk, trying to diffuse the situation. She just shook her head and she looked angry. "Honestly. I'm not going to force you to be with me if you end up hating it."

She let out a deep breath and knelt in front of him. She rested her elbows on his knees and held onto his face, forcing him to look at her.

"There's no way that is going to happen," she whispered. "If you know it won't on your end, I know it won't on mine. I hate the way it is right now, Jess. I despise it. I can't wait to be here with you. And don't feel responsible about any of this. I'm moving for me. I'm going to school, I have a great job lined up, and I want to live in this house. With you eventually."

"Okay," he conceded. He leaned in and kissed her slowly. "I believe you."

She pulled herself away and sat next to him on the edge of the tub. "Why are you so sure I'll hate it and you? I have never hated you."

"I'm sure you hated me a little when I left Stars Hollow," he said and she shook her head. "Not at all?"

"Okay," she laughed. "Maybe a little. But that's the only time. I love you, you big, stupid idiot."

"Yeah, I feel the love alright," he laughed and she smiled at him. He took a deep breath and said, "I just don't want to be the reason why you make a mistake."

"This isn't a mistake," she said. "I know that. And you do, too, Jess. You know how badly I want this and how badly we need this. We'll never make it if we keep going on this way. And I'll go crazy at my job if I have to stay there."

"You're the only thing that matters to me, Rory. I just want you to be happy, preferably with me, but in general, too."

"You're crazy if you don't think you make me happy, Jess," she said. "I worry all of the time that I'm not living up to those expectations you had of me and of us when you were seventeen."

"You're surpassing them," he promised. "Every single day. You're all I've ever wanted, Rory. And I hate saying crap like that."

"Well, it's nice to hear anyway."

He smiled before leaning in and kissing her. She licked her lips when he pulled away and stood up, taking him with her.

"Mom and Luke are going to be here tomorrow," Rory said once they sat on the back porch in the chairs the previous owners had forgotten about.

"I bet they're excited," Jess said. "I bet Lorelai is already decorating this place in her head."

"I know she is," she laughed. "My dad bought me a dining set and a living room set. I told him he couldn't buy me anymore and he's actually pouting about it."

"What's the furniture like?" He asked, reaching for her hand.

"It's a brown leather couch with matching chaise and arm chair," she said with a smiled as he watched her carefully. "The dining room set is big enough for six made out of a really dark room I can't remember the name of with fabric chairs. The coffee table matches the dining room table really well. And I bought bar stools for the breakfast bar."

"So, what else do you need?" He asked and she shrugged. "Bedroom set?"

"I'm just going to keep mine for now," she said. "I need something for the guest room. And then I just need decorations; some art and end tables and stuff like that. Mom will have some ideas when she sees the place. Anything in particular you don't want?"

"Not my house," he told her with a shrug.

"We're going to share it one day and I'm not going to want to completely redecorate it, Jess," she said as she pushed her chair closer to his. "So, what kind of things are you uncomfortable with?"

"Cats and flowers," he said and she laughed. "We should get a dog."

"What?" She scoffed. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely," he told her and she smiled at his excitement. "I've always wanted a dog. You like dogs. We should seriously get a dog."

"That might be fun," she said. "Do I have to wait for you to move in?"

"No," he shook his head. "We should get one as soon as possible. It will have to stay here, but we should definitely get a dog."

"You're like a little kid right now," she laughed and he stopped smiling and looked serious. "No, I love it. We'll get a dog. I do want one and I was always mad that my mom waited so long to get one when I was already gone."

"My mom never let me get a dog," Jess said. "She never even let me talk about it. I swear, if my sister gets one, I'll be pissed."

"I think the only way Doula gets a dog is if TJ buys one without telling Liz," she said and Jess nodded in agreement.

"Oh, Mom and Luke have news for us, too," Rory said and Jess turned to look at her. "She didn't say what, just that they had news."

"Maybe I won't be the oldest sibling after all," he said and raised his eyebrows.

"You think they're having a baby?" Rory asked, genuinely surprised. "I mean, I know they wanted one, but they haven't talked about it in a while."

"It could be something else," Jess shrugged. "I just wonder what Lorelai wouldn't tell you over the phone. It's got to be big."

"Huh," she said and Jess smiled. "Oh my god. I sound like you."

"I'm rubbing off on you," he laughed and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

The next day, they rolled out of their sleeping bags at the sound of the doorbell.

"What time is it?" Rory asked with a yawn.

"Nine," Jess answered, reaching for his shirt and putting it on. "What time were they supposed to be here?"

"Not until one," she answered, pulling on her clothes. They walked down the stairs to the front door. When they opened it, they saw Chris and Julia standing with coffee and donuts. "You guys!"

"Thought we'd come wake you up," Julia said and Rory stepped aside to let them in. "This place is amazing, Rory."

"Whoa, this is not what I was expecting," Chris said and Rory closed the door. "What's up, man?"

"A little early, don't you think?" Jess asked from his perch on the breakfast bar.

"Not at all," Julia said and they all made the move into the kitchen. "You need some furniture."

"Well, I don't technically live here yet," Rory reminded them. "The living room and dining room sets are being delivered today, though."

"We should have come tomorrow," Chris said as he handed Jess a coffee. Jess thanked him with a nod. "Then we'd have a place to sit."

"You could have just come by around noon and you'd have a place to sit," Rory told him.

"Well, anyway," Julia said, "As soon as you're officially living here, you need to throw a housewarming party."

"Alex and I are already planning it," she told her. "It will probably be around the end of June, once we're settled."

"Once we get a dog," Jess chimed in.

"You're getting a dog?" Chris asked, thoroughly excited. "Jules, can we get a dog?"

"No," she laughed. "We cannot get a dog. You can play with theirs. Sorry, babe."

"You can play with ours," Jess said. "He'll be the new Truncheon mascot."

"Yes!"

"Boys," Rory laughed and Julia joined her.

"So, Jess, when do you move in?" Chris asked, forgetting about the dog.

"October's the plan, but we'll see," he said, yawning.

"Once we've been together a year, I think will be good," Rory explained and Julia nodded. "We don't want to rush anything."

"Smart," Chris said with a nod. "You could be like us and wait six years."

"No," Jess said sternly.

"Well, if you're anything like us, you'll be engaged not too long after you move in," Julia said and Jess and Rory's eyes widened.

"What?!" Jess asked, hopping off of the counter.

"Seriously?" Rory asked and Julia nodded. Rory hugged her tight. "Congratulations!"

"Nice job, man," Jess said as he hugged Chris. "Congrats you two."

"You're the first people we've told," Chris said with a laugh. "Don't tell Matt, he'll kill us all."

"Oh my god," Rory said. "I am so happy for you guys."

"Thanks," Julia said, smiling. "We're pretty happy, too."

The four of them sat around and talked about the wedding for a little while. Then, Rory showed them around the house and went over how she wanted to decorate everything. She and Julia talked about the huge changes happening in both of their lives while Jess and Chris started talking about the dog again. Rory was so happy that she would have a great group of friends already once she moved to Philadelphia. She was especially happy that she would have a girlfriend in the city.

When she and Alex had stayed over in the new house, she brought him to Truncheon so he could meet everyone and they all got along really well. She was so happy that she could fully bring her life into Philadelphia comfortably and that Alex would fit in perfectly. And she knew that Jess had every right to worry about their future together. It was a huge step they were taking. Jess was so happy that he and Rory had run into each other when they did. He was so happy they figured it out and were moving forward. He loved that she got along with his friends and they were becoming friends themselves. He loved her for making the huge sacrifice to uproot her life and move to Philadelphia.

After Julia and Chris left, it was nearly noon and the furniture was going to be there any minute. She and Jess talked about where everything was going to go and by the time the delivery truck got there, they were able to direct them perfectly. Everything fit perfectly and while they delivery guys left, Jess left to get lunch and drinks for when Lorelai and Luke got to the house. He picked up two pizzas, and a salad for Luke, and got back just as they were pulling up.

"Jess!" Luke called, taking the pizzas out of his hands. "This the place?"

"This is it," he said as Lorelai and April came around to the sidewalk. "April, I didn't know you'd be here. Good thing I got two pizzas."

"I just found out last night," she said and they all started up the steps.

"Lorelai, could you grab that?" Luke asked, nodding to the door. She nodded and opened it.

"Holy crap," she said and Luke stopped short as soon as he was inside.

"Wow," he said before he started walking.

"Hey guys," Rory called from the couch. She got up and ran to hug her mother while Luke and Jess delivered everything to the dining room table.

"This is amazing, Sweetie!" Lorelai said going to sit down. "When did the furniture get here?"

"The delivery guys just left twenty minutes ago," Rory laughed. Jess distributed the paper plates and plastic cups.

"When do you move in?" April asked once everyone was sitting and eating.

"Unfortunately not until June 1," Rory said. "My lease isn't up until then and it's too much hassle to try and break it. Alex and I will just start moving in a few weeks before and do all the big stuff that day."

"It's amazing," April said, looking around the room. "I can't wait to see the rest."

"How are the walls? Does anything need to be painted?" Luke asked, effectively offering his services.

"My room and Alex's room definitely need to be painted. Mine is a weird green color and Alex's is red. I just want a neutral color in both," she told them.

"I'll come down and do it in the next few months," Luke told her and she smiled. "Jess'll help."

"Great, then we'll hold hands and skip afterwards," Jess joked and Luke scoffed. "Seriously, though, just let me know and I'll have Matt and Dyl help, too."

"Great," Luke nodded.

They ate their food, talking about small stuff. Lorelai was sitting, surprisingly quiet, watching the other four talk. All of a sudden she burst out, "I cannot believe that not a single one of you has asked what me and Luke's big news is!"

"I forgot about it," Jess shrugged, taking another bite of his pizza.

"I haven't forgotten," Rory said. "I just figured you'd tell us."

"What is it, Lorelai?" April asked, folding her napkin on her lap. Jess and Rory put down their food and looked from Lorelai to Luke, waiting.

"Well, are you going to tell them?" Luke asked, a ghost of a smile present on his face.

Rory squinted her eyes, looking at the two of them. "Mom! What is it?" She practically yelled, crossing her arms.

"Luke and I have been trying for sometime to have a baby," she started and Rory and April smiled while Jess turned to Luke. "And I'm no spring chicken, so it's really good that it finally worked. Because I am three months pregnant and due in September!"

"Oh my god!" Rory said, jumping up and running around the table to hug Lorelai.

"Congratulations!" She said and she hugged Luke.

"I totally called that," Jess said from his seat and Lorelai just looked at him. "Congratulations, you guys."

"Thanks, Jess," Luke said and Lorelai smiled.

"This is awesome," April said. "I've always wanted a little brother or sister."

"I hope it's a boy," Luke said. "Way too many girls in my life."

"Yeah, me too," Jess said.

"I cannot do boys," Lorelai said. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

"You'd figure it out," Rory told her. "I hope it's a boy, too. That would be so much fun."

"We'll see," Lorelai told them. "Luke doesn't want to know until the birth, so we're going to wait."

"That's so exciting!" Rory gushed. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"I'm sad you guys are so far away," Lorelai told them and it really struck Rory. She wanted to be in Philadelphia and she was going to be so much happier there, but she was farther from her mom and Luke and now their new baby. It would be tough.

"Don't worry," she said anyway. "We will be there when this baby is born. I will not miss it. I promise."

"Good," Lorelai said. "Am I too old for this? This is crazy, right?"

"You're not too old," Rory said. "You just need to be careful. You're not sixteen anymore."

"She knows this," Luke said shaking his head. "The doctor told her she'd be fine and the baby is healthy. She's just over thinking everything. She needs to relax."

"I'm relaxed," Lorelai pouted. "I'm fine. The baby is fine. We're all fine."

They continued talking about the house and the baby. Jess told them about the dog and Lorelai was already planning future puppy play dates. Rory showed them the house while Luke took mental notes of the things he could do to help out. He'd already promised to build the bookshelves and retile the second floor bathroom by the time they reached Rory's room.

"Sweets, this room is huge! I could live here," Lorelai said, turning around to take it all in. "Are those two closets? Oh my god. It's heaven."

"One of them is Jess's," Rory told her. "But look at the big one, who needs that tiny one?"

"That's it," Lorelai said, standing in the center of the closet, looking out at the rest of the room. "Luke we're moving in. Into this closet."

"Sounds great," Luke said with a roll of his eyes. Rory told them to go into the bathroom and hung back with Jess.

"So much news today," she said, putting her arms around his neck. He reciprocated by putting his arms around her waist and he nodded.

"But we're getting a dog," he reminded her with a smile. She smiled back and kissed him quickly.

"Nope, none of that," Lorelai called as they left the bathroom. Rory shot her look, but stepped away from Jess anyway. "Let's talk decor."


End file.
